The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology warned residents in Australia's eastern states to pay close attention to local weather forecasts and warnings over the coming days as a large and complex weather system and developing East Coast Low will bring potentially…
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New activity/unrest was observed at 5 volcanoes between May 25 and 31, 2016. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 14 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands (UK) | Etna, Sicily (Italy) | Piton de la Fournaise,…
A bright fireball was observed and recorded over Phoenix, Arizona at around 10:57 UTC on June 2, 2016. The event was accompanied by a sonic boom, produced as the asteroid disintegrated in the atmosphere. The fireball was seen primarily from Arizona but witnesses…
Widespread, heavy, and above-normal amounts of rainfall have created perfect conditions for another, mosquito-borne, Rift Valley fever along the coastal areas of Saudi Arabia and Yemen. This region witnessed its first Rift Valley fever outbreak in 2000. That year,…
After heaviest late May rainfall since records began, flooding is still affecting large areas of France, most notably the East, West, and Paris. Meteorologists warn the waters are expected to keep rising for several more days. The River Seine has overflowed its…
The surface level of Lake Mead at the Hoover Dam stood at 327.36 m (1 074.03 feet) above sea level on May 25, 2016. The last time it was this low was in 1937, when water managers were still filling the reservoir and putting finishing touches on the Hoover Dam. The…
Two waves of very loud explosions were heard in and around the Romanian city of Iasi around 10:30 UTC (13:30 local time) on June 1, 2016. Witnesses say that sonic booms were heard in a diameter of 50 – 75 km (31 to 46 miles) around Iasi, shattering windows and…
A strong earthquake registered as M6.5 hit near the coast of West Sumatra, Indonesia at 22:56 UTC on June 1, 2016. BMKG (Indonesia) is reporting a depth of 72 km (44.7 miles). USGS is reporting M6.5 at a depth of 50.8 km (31.5 miles). Geoscience Australia is…
On June 3, planet Saturn will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and visible all night long. The best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies…
On April 24, 2016, satellite sensors detected a volcanic eruption at Bristol Island's Mount Sourbaya, far South Atlantic Ocean, between South America and Antarctica. It was Sourbaya's first detected eruption in the last 60 years. Imagery obtained one month…
