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!

  • 1 000 homes damaged as strong storm sweeps through Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Up to 1 000 homes have been damaged as severe storm accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds hit Thailands' Chiang Mai Province over the Easter weekend. Thai PBS said 10 districts were blacked out for several hours when the freak summer storm hit the region on…

  • Snow and hail damage crops, block multiple roads across Lebanon

    Snow and hail hit parts of Lebanon on April 21, 2019, blocking multiple roads and damaging crops across the country. Cedars recorded 40 cm (15.7 inches), leaving farmers worried that fruit-bearing trees will be damaged if temperatures drop further, The Daily Star…

  • Severe dust storm hits Saudi Arabia and Iran

    Large dust storm originating in parts of northern Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq is affecting the region and southwest Iran's Khuzestan, still recovering from massive floods. Authorities warn residents that dust particles have significantly increased air…

  • Almost 2 million previously unidentified earthquakes in Southern California

    Caltech seismologists have identified nearly two million previously unidentified tiny earthquakes that occurred between 2008 and 2017 in Southern California, expanding the region's earthquake catalog by a factor of 10. Their efforts, published online by the…

  • Exceptionally large dust event for western Europe and Mediterranean

    Huge amounts of dust are advecting toward western Europe and the western Mediterranean this weekend, with parts of France, Spain and Italy expected to be the most impacted. The event is caused by a broad cold core upper low pushing from Morocco into the Iberian…

  • Earliest recorded snow in history of Western Australia

    Residents of Western Australia woke up to extremely rare April snow on Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges on April 19, 2019. This is the earliest snow ever recorded in the history of Western Australia. Matt Boterhoven, a meteorologist with the Australian Bureau of…

  • One of the strongest hailstorms on record hits Athens, Greece

    Heavy rainfall and sudden intense hailstorm hit Greek capital Athens and its suburbs on April 15, 2019, causing serious traffic disruption and power outages. It was described as one of the most intense hailstorms Athens has ever seen. Hailstorm lasted less than 15…