Record December snowfall reaching over 200 cm (80 inches) in Juneau, Alaska, caused multiple vessels to sink in the city’s harbors as heavy, wet snow accumulated. The heavy snow was driven by multiple atmospheric rivers, which brought heavy precipitation to much of the region through late December 2025.
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 struck the southeast Indian Ridge at 01:53 UTC on January 1, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
A surge of Arctic air, reinforced lake-effect snowfall, and an atmospheric river are forecast to affect large portions of the United States from December 31, 2025, into January 2, 2026. Heavy snow is expected downwind of the Great Lakes and across parts of the Northeast, while southern California faces a flash flood risk as an atmospheric river moves onshore around New Year’s Day.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 14:26 UTC on December 31, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 19 km (11.8 miles).
Heavy rain and snow are forecast across California and Sierra Nevada through January 4, 2026. The first wave will target southern California with subtropical moisture, followed by a stronger system forecast to bring heavy rain and snowfall across central and northern regions of the state.
Evacuation warnings were issued for Los Angeles County, California for multiple burn scars across the region as an atmospheric river brings in the threat of flash floods and debris flows through New Year’s Day.
A surge of subtropical moisture is forecast to bring moderate to heavy rain to southern and central California on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, with rain spreading north on Thursday, January 1, 2026. A stronger system with a re-intensified atmospheric river is expected to make landfall early Friday, January 2, bringing heavier precipitation along the northern and central California coast.
At least three people have been killed by severe floods and landslides in Spain between December 28–29, 2025.
Severe Tropical Cyclone Hayley is forecast to make landfall over the northern Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia, late on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, as a Category 3 system. The cyclone is expected to bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding across parts of the west Kimberley coast.
A powerful winter storm swept across Gaza over the past seven days, leaving at least 17 people dead and over 42 000 tents destroyed by December 28, 2025.
