A fast-moving dust storm affected outback communities in New South Wales on January 31, 2026, resulting in hazardous driving conditions and widespread dust deposition. Meteorologists from the Bureau of Meteorology reported the system formed as dry topsoil was lifted by intense westerly gusts exceeding 70 km/h (45 mph).
Snow and ice conditions in Cabarrus County halted traffic on I-85 for approximately six hours on January 31, 2026, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded. Authorities confirmed there were no serious injuries, and the highway was reopened after extensive rescue and clearing operations.
A powerful winter storm underwent rapid intensification along the East Coast from January 30 to February 1, 2026, bringing historic snow to the Carolinas and deep winter cold across much of the eastern United States. The nor’easter disrupted travel, caused power outages, and extended freezing conditions into Georgia and Alabama.
Record-breaking cold affected nearly all of Florida at dawn on February 1, 2026, when minimum temperatures fell to between −5 and −3°C (26–23°F) across central and eastern regions. The National Weather Service Melbourne Office reported that daily records were broken or tied at all of their official climate observation sites, including Orlando, Daytona Beach, Sanford, Melbourne, Vero Beach, and Fort Pierce.
A rainfall-triggered landslide caused multiple artisanal mine pits to collapse at the Rubaya coltan mining area in North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on January 28, 2026, killing more than 200 people.
Over 1 500 people have been evacuated from the town of Niscemi after the impact of Storm Harry triggered a major coastal landslide on January 25, 2026 that has left hundreds of homes on the verge of collapse.
A powerful nor’easter is forecast to impact the U.S. Southeast coast late on January 30, 2026, bringing heavy snow to the Carolinas and Virginia, with accumulations reaching up to 30 cm (12 inches), along with strong winds and coastal flooding persisting through February 2.
Up to 115 fatalities have been reported across more than 20 states in the U.S. after a historic winter storm swept through the eastern two-thirds of the country between January 24 and 26, 2026. The storm is now the deadliest since the 2021 Texas power crisis, when multiple storms claimed nearly 250 lives across the country, and has surpassed the death toll of the 2022 Buffalo Blizzard of the Century.
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 struck the South Sandwich Islands region at 07:30 UTC on January 29, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 74.7 km (46 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 26 km (16 miles). There is no tsunami threat from this event.
Multiple tornadoes hit Antalya Province, Turkey, late on January 26, 2026, causing major damage to coastal and inland districts. Hundreds of acres of fruit and vegetable crops across greenhouses in the province were damaged by the tornadoes, while much of the region reeled from the recent flooding.
