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!
Heavy rain and floods continue across Iran, with 25 of its 31 provinces affected since March 19, 2019. The worst-hit provinces in recent days are Golestan in the north, Fars in the south and Lorestan in the west. As of April 2, the death toll stands at 57, with 19…
A very large waterspout formed near the coast of Tanjung Tokong, Penang, Malaysia on April 1, 2019, and made landfall after about 5 minutes, severely damaging at least 50 buildings. The twister touched down around 13:36 LT, ripping off roofs and downing trees but…
April 1 – M104 well placed for observation. The Sombrero galaxy (M104, NGC 4594) will be well placed for observation. It will reach its highest point in the sky at around midnight local time. At a declination of -11°37', it is easiest to see from the…
New activity/unrest was reported for 3 volcanoes from March 20 – 26, 2019. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 15 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Tengger Caldera, Eastern Java (Indonesia) | Villarrica,…
In part one of this presentation, physicist Eugene Bagashov began his examination of some of the enduring geological mysteries on Mars. Of course, geologists examining the surface of Mars project familiar earthly processes onto the Red Planet — they imagine…
At least 21 people have been killed and 119 injured after heavy rain hit the city of Shiraz, southern Iran on Monday, March 25, 2019, causing severe flash flooding. Heavy rains started falling on the historic city of Shiraz, Fars Province on Monday morning,…
A state of emergency is in effect in Nebraska after massive floods triggered by rapid snowmelt, ice-covered rivers and heavy rain dumped by major late-winter storm. More heavy rain is expected in the region by the end of the week. The financial impact could be more…
A destructive tornado hit the town of Roetgen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on March 13, 2019. Around 35 homes and 2 warehouses were damaged and 5 people injured. Roetgen Mayor Jorma Klauss said the wind blew the top floors from two of the houses in the town of 8…
Heavy rainfall has been affecting central, southern and western regions of Afghanistan since the start of the month, triggering deadly floods that resulted in widespread destruction. The most affected provinces are Kandahar, Helmand, Farah, Herat and Badghis, DG…
An increasing amount of research indicates that solar storms can be even more powerful than measurements have shown so far via direct observations. Researchers believe that society is not sufficiently prepared if a similar event were to happen now. The researchers…
