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!

  • When summer turned extreme: A statistical analysis of New Zealand’s remarkable summer of 2022/23

    ByTW

    February 2023 was a month of extremes for New Zealand’s weather and climate. While some parts of the North Island received at least 400% of their normal February rainfall and experienced the 2nd wettest summer on record, the South Island faced below-normal rainfall and the 5th driest summer on record. Cyclone Gabrielle brought destructive winds and historic extreme rainfall, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. The nationwide average temperature was 1.1 °C (2 °F) above the February average, making it the 3rd warmest summer on record. Despite the heavy rainfall, some locations experienced high sunshine hours.

  • Tornadoes and high winds cause damage and widespread power outages across Texas and Louisiana

    ByTW

    Tornadoes and high winds caused damage and widespread power outages Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Texas and Louisiana, including Dallas-Fort Worth and Shreveport. At the height of the storm, there were more than 350 000 customers without power in Texas, with more than half of them in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where winds up to 130 km/h (80 mph) were recorded.

  • Floods submerge towns and villages in Malaysia, forcing mass evacuations

    ByTW

    Heavy rain and severe flooding in Malaysia have forced over 26 000 people to evacuate their homes, as rivers continue to rise above their danger marks. The southern state of Johor has been the worst hit, with more than 25 000 people moved to relief centers in schools and community halls. The country is experiencing its sixth episode of continuous heavy rain from the annual monsoon season that started in November, and the Meteorological Department has warned that the situation may continue until April.

  • Large dust storm darkens skies across parts of Texas and New Mexico

    ByTW

    A large storm system brought a rare snowfall to California and thunderstorms to the Southern Plains in late February 2023. The system also generated strong winds that caused a massive amount of dust to be lofted into the air, darkening skies across northwestern Texas, northern Mexico, and eastern New Mexico.

  • Another powerful western system will bring heavy snow to low elevations across the West, with blizzard conditions in the Sierra Nevada mountains, U.S.

    ByTW

    The western United States is bracing for yet another powerful winter storm system, with heavy snow predicted for low elevations and blizzard conditions in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. The Upper Midwest is also set to see heavy snowfall from a clipper system, while the Northeast is expected to experience heavy snow from a system moving through the area. Southern and interior Alaska will also face heavy snow and blizzard conditions from two powerful systems.

  • Mud domes discovered on islands near Kabawa mud volcano after M7.5 earthquake, Indonesia

    ByTW

    Following a powerful M7.5 earthquake that struck the Tanimbar Islands in Indonesia’s Maluku Province on January 10, 2023, researchers have discovered new dome-shaped mud eruption mounds on two small islands near the large Kabawa mud volcano. These mounds reach up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) in height and cover areas of up to approximately 700 m2 (7 534 feet2).

  • Tornadoes leave a trail of destruction in southern Plains, U.S.

    ByTW

    Several destructive tornadoes touched down in southern Plains on February 26, 2023, resulting in severe damage and power outages. The National Weather Service reported multiple tornadoes throughout the day, with winds of over 177 km/h (110 mph) causing significant damage in Texas.

  • Severe weather causes fatal flooding and landslides in Ecuador

    ByTW

    Severe weather in Ecuador has led to the death of at least six people in recent days due to flooding and landslides, with a total of eleven fatalities recorded since the beginning of the year. The most affected provinces are Chimborazo, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Loja, Manabí, El Oro, and Guayas.

  • Two powerful winter storms hit U.S., leaving more than 2 million people without power

    ByTW

    Two powerful winter storms are bringing widespread areas of wintry precipitation from coast to coast, leaving some 900 000 customers, or estimated 2.2 million people, without power. While heavy snow, significant icing, and blizzard conditions are affecting portions of the Upper Midwest eastward into the Northeast, heavy rain, snow, wind, and cold temperatures are impacting much of California. Dangerous travel conditions are expected.