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!

  • Damaging tornado hits Morales, Guatemala

    A damaging tornado hit the city of Morales (population 100 000), Guatemala on February 13, 2022. According to the Guatemalan National Institute for Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH), the tornado touched ground at around 14:20 LT, causing…

  • Waterspout hits Havana, damaging homes and downing power lines, Cuba

    A large waterspout formed off the coast capital Havana, Cuba on February 9, 2022, and came ashore, damaging roofs of homes, and downing trees and power lines. The waterspout hit the land between Tarara and Guanabo beaches at around 10:30 LT. "We have set up a…

  • Record-shattering heavy snow hits parts of Japan

    Heavy snow has been falling over Japan over the weekend, with some areas receiving record-breaking amounts. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the snow was brought by a wintry pressure pattern combined with cold air mass. All-time 24-hour snowfall records…

  • Large and significant winter storm to impact central and northeastern U.S.

    A major winter storm is set to bring disruptive snow and ice accumulations from the Rockies and the Heartland to the Great Lakes beginning Tuesday night, February 1, 2022, and continuing through Thursday morning, February 3. Significant disruptions to travel are…

  • Very bright fireball over Morocco

    This impressive fireball was recorded over Morocco at 02:16 UTC on January 30, 2022. It was as bright as the full Moon. The event was generated by a rock (a meteoroid) from a comet that hit the atmosphere at about 255 000 km/h (158 450 mph). It began at an altitude…

  • Very bright fireball over U.K., more than 300 reports received

    A very bright fireball was recorded over the United Kingdom at around 18:49 UTC on January 29, 2022. The event lasted about 5 seconds and was seen primarily from England and Scotland. The International Meteor Organization (IMO) received 318 reports, 3 videos, and…

  • At least 4 killed as powerful storm dumps record-breaking snow, U.S.

    At least 4 people died and more than 120 000 customers were left without power after a powerful Nor'easter hit the U.S. East Coast on Saturday, January 29, and Sunday, January 30, 2022. More than 16 million people were placed under winter weather alerts. The…

  • Frost covers sand dunes of Ain Sefra for the fifth winter in a row, Algeria

    Sand dunes around the Algerian town of Ain Sefra — a region known as The Gateway to the Sahara — were seen covered with frost on January 17, 2022, as overnight temperatures dipped to -2 °C (28 °F) You can hardly call this rare anymore, as this is the fifth…