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 temperature at Concordia weather station in Antarctica dropped to -51.2 °C (-60.1 °F) at 18:18 UTC on January 31, 2023, marking the lowest January temperature in Antarctica since meteorological observations there started in 1956.
2022 saw a record-breaking number of hailstorms in Europe with 8 224 large hail reports. That is 2 791 large hail reports more than in 2021, which was already a record-breaking year. France had the most reports with 2 461 and was also the country with the largest economic impact of 4.8 billion €.
Floods caused by heavy rainfall affecting parts of Sumatra island, Indonesia since January 21, 2023, have damaged more than 15 000 homes and left at least 3 people dead.
Severe weather continues to impact Japan since Tuesday, January 24, 2023, bringing with it heavy sea-effect snow and temperatures not seen in a decade.
Tropical Cyclone “Cheneso” rapidly intensified after spending 5 days over Madagascar, bringing death and destruction. The system is expected to further intensify as it moves near the SW coast of the country over the next few days, bringing more heavy rainfall. Parts of northern Madagascar have already received more than 1 000 mm (40 inches) of rain.
At least 157 people have died in Afghanistan’s harsh winter as of January 24, 2023, with the death toll doubling in less than a week. Officials are describing this winter as the worst in a decade.
Solar activity has reached moderate levels in 24 hours to 12:30 UTC on January 25, with a long-duration M4.6 flare peaking at 10:11 UTC today.
The polar vortex, a large area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere that typically sits over the poles, is set to weaken as a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event unfolds in the northern hemisphere. This event has the potential to have a significant impact on winter weather, as it allows cold Arctic air to escape and cause outbreaks in Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States.
A rare outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) is in progress around the North Pole.
At least 2 people died and 7 went missing on January 22, 2023, after a sudden flood swept away families celebrating the Lunar New Year downstream of the Sanmenxia Dam Scenic Area on the Yellow River in Henan, China. The flood reportedly caused the water level in the river to rise by 1.8 meters (6 feet) in just six minutes, leaving little time for those affected to react.
