• Kona low brings extreme rainfall to Maui and Oʻahu, causing flooding and landslides across Hawaiʻi

    ByReet Kaur

    A slow-moving Kona low brought extreme rainfall to the Hawaiian Islands between March 10–16, 2026, producing record-breaking totals at multiple long-term stations, particularly on Maui and Oʻahu. Honolulu and Kahului both set new daily rainfall records on March 13, while multi-day accumulations on Maui reached up to about 1 170 mm (46 inches), triggering flooding, landslides, and widespread disruption.

  • Category 5 Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to cross Far North Queensland on March 20

    ByRishav Kothari

    Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle intensified into a Category 5 system on March 19, 2026, and is forecast to cross the Cape York Peninsula between Lockhart River and Cape Melville, Queensland, on the morning of March 20. Very destructive wind gusts of more than 250 km/h (155 mph), heavy rainfall of 100 to 350 mm (4 to 14 inches), and dangerous coastal conditions including abnormally high tides and large waves are forecast near and south of the landfall area, although slight weakening to a high-end Category 4 before crossing remains possible.

  • Early-season heatwave intensifies across western United States, Extreme Heat Warnings issued

    ByRishav Kothari

    An anomalously early-season heatwave intensified across the western United States on March 18, 2026, with Extreme Heat Warnings in effect for parts of the Desert Southwest and temperatures forecast to expand east into the Rockies and Great Plains by March 20. Highs are expected to reach 40–44°C (104–112°F) in the hottest desert regions, with numerous daily and some monthly March records likely to be broken.

  • Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to briefly reach Category 5 before Queensland landfall, Australia

    ByRishav Kothari

    Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle is forecast to intensify to Category 5 peak intensity over the Coral Sea before approaching the Far North Queensland coast between Lockhart River and Cooktown on March 20, 2026. Destructive winds of over 250 km/h (155 mph), along with rainfall totals over 350 mm (14 inches), are expected to triggere flash flooding, significant storm surges, and coastal flooding.

  • Historic March blizzard buries parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula under up to 132 cm (52 inches) of snow

    ByRishav Kothari

    A late-season blizzard affected northern Michigan between March 15 and 17, 2026, dropping up to 132.1 cm (52 inches) of snow in parts of the Upper Peninsula and breaking snowfall records at the National Weather Service office in Marquette. Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency on March 17 for seven counties in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula as heavy snow, ice, and strong winds disrupted travel and power service.

  • El Niño forecast in 2026 as La Niña weakens and Pacific subsurface heat increases

    ByReet Kaur

    La Niña conditions persisted across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during February 2026, but forecasters expect the pattern to transition to ENSO-neutral within the next month. The Climate Prediction Center said on March 12, 2026, that El Niño is likely to emerge during June–August 2026 with a probability of 62% and could persist through at least the end of the year.

  • Magma accumulation beneath Svartsengi now largest since eruption sequence began, Iceland

    ByReet Kaur

    More than 23 million m³ (812 million feet³) of magma have accumulated beneath the Svartsengi volcanic system on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula since the July 2025 eruption. Monitoring data released March 17, 2026, by the Icelandic Meteorological Office show this is the largest magma accumulation between eruptions since activity began on the Sundhnúksgígar crater row in December 2023. The official hazard assessment for the area remains unchanged and is valid until March 31.

  • Spain sees wettest January–February in 47 years as Atlantic storms soak Iberian Peninsula

    ByReet Kaur

    Spain experienced an exceptionally wet winter between December 2025 and February 2026 as repeated Atlantic storms brought prolonged rainfall across the Iberian Peninsula. AEMET reported 323.2 mm (12.7 inches) of precipitation across peninsular Spain, equal to 171% of the 1991–2020 average, making it the country’s eighth wettest winter since 1961 and third wettest of the 21st century.