More than 3 000 residents were ordered to evacuate in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, by April 25, 2026, as two wildfires ignited on April 22 expanded across mountainous terrain and burned hundreds of hectares. Fire damage to structures has been confirmed as suppression efforts continue.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center placed parts of central and southeast Oklahoma under a Moderate Risk for severe thunderstorms on April 25, 2026, with large to very large hail, tornadoes, and damaging winds forecast across parts of the southern Plains and Ark-La-Tex. Hailstones over 7.6 cm (3 inches) and strong tornadoes are possible during the afternoon and evening, where discrete supercells develop.
New activity/unrest was reported for 4 volcanoes from April 16 to 22, 2026. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 23 volcanoes.
A preliminary EF4 tornado injured 10 people in Enid, Oklahoma, on April 23, 2026, according to NWS Norman. The tornado reached estimated peak winds of 274 km/h (170 mph), tracked 15.3 km (9.5 miles), and damaged parts of Vance Air Force Base and the Gray Ridge neighborhood. This was the first EF4 tornado to impact Garfield County since April 1991.
More than 80 homes have been destroyed by a wildfire in Brantley County, Georgia, as of April 24, 2026, prompting evacuation orders in multiple communities. Approximately 1 000 structures remain under threat as the fire continues to spread under dry and windy conditions, with containment still limited.
A large tornado struck Enid, Oklahoma, during the evening hours of April 23, 2026, causing significant structural damage, downing power infrastructure, and prompting search-and-rescue operations across affected neighborhoods. At least 10 people were injured.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center issued Tornado Watch 134 at 17:00 UTC (12:00 CDT) on April 23, 2026, for eastern Nebraska, western and central Iowa, and northwest Missouri as severe thunderstorms began developing and increasing in coverage along a cold front. The watch includes tornado potential, damaging wind gusts up to 110 km/h (70 mph), and large hail up to 6.4 cm (2.5 inches), while a separate Enhanced Risk area across eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma is expected to produce more intense severe storms later in the afternoon and evening.
Lava fountains rising to 300 m (1 000 feet) and an ash plume reaching 5 000 m (16 500 feet) marked the onset of episode 45 at Kīlauea on April 23, 2026, triggering an ashfall advisory for Kaʻū. Activity remained confined within Halemaʻumaʻu as fountain heights stabilized after an early peak.
A reactivated landslide in Old Fort, northeastern British Columbia, Canada, on April 20, 2026, prompted authorities to issue an evacuation order affecting approximately 150 residents. The movement damaged critical infrastructure, including the closure of the main access road, while Emergency Support Services coordinated evacuations and opened a reception center. Rainfall forecast over the next 48 hours introduces additional risk for slope instability.
A rare tornado event occurred in California after three tornadoes touched down in Fresno and Merced counties on April 21, 2026. This was the third time since 1955 that three or more tornadoes have touched down in the National Weather Service (NWS) Hanford Office’s jurisdiction.
