Extreme cold warnings and watches were issued across large parts of the central and northern United States on Thursday, January 22, 2026, as a deep Arctic air mass spread southward, producing wind chills as low as −48°C (−55°F).
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 struck near the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, at 12:42 UTC on January 22, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 52.2 km (32.4 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth. There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.
A major long-duration winter storm is forecast to affect large portions of the central and eastern United States starting Friday, January 23, 2026, with confidence increasing in damaging ice accumulations across parts of the South. Heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain are expected from the southern Rockies and Plains into the Mid-South, with the system spreading east into the Mid-Atlantic and New England through the weekend.
Record-breaking rainfall left at least two people dead and several others unaccounted for in parts of New Zealand on January 21, 2026. The event produced multiple rainfall records and damaging winds, marking the 20th Red Warning weather event since the alert level was introduced in May 2019.
At least 5 people have been reported dead after the heaviest rain in over 70 years struck parts of Tunisia, dropping over 200 mm (8 inches) of rainfall since Monday, January 19, 2026. A Red Alert (the highest warning level) was issued for the Grand Tunis area as well as the Nabeul and Monastir provinces as rainfall and floods continued through Tuesday into Wednesday, January 20-21.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit the Volcano Islands, Japan region at 16:37 UTC on January 21, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 25.5 km (15.8 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
A large and prolonged outbreak of Arctic air is spreading across the United States, prompting extreme cold watches across much of the northern and central United States from Thursday, January 22, 2026, through Friday, January 24. This Arctic outbreak will bring one of the most dangerous cold spells in recent years, with the greatest threat lasting from Thursday night through early Saturday morning.
Winter storm watches are in effect from New Mexico and Texas to Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, from Friday morning through late Saturday night, January 23–24, 2026, with some extending into Sunday afternoon, January 25. Heavy snow, sleet, and ice accumulations are forecast, along with dangerously cold temperatures that will persist into Monday morning, January 26.
Prolonged heavy rain affecting New Zealand prompted MetService to raise heavy rain warnings to the highest alert level at 09:08 LT on January 21, 2026, amid a multi-day rainfall event and the influence of a tropical low.
A major winter storm will bring widespread snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic between Friday, January 23, and Sunday, January 25, 2026.
