• 846 structures damaged or destroyed, suspect faces arson charges for Old Trails and 4 other fires, Washington

    ByRishav Kothari

    Three Spokane-area fires have burned 4 223 ha (10 436 acres) as of August 6, 2026. The Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires have damaged or destroyed 846 structures. Both the Old Trails and Autumn Lane fires were 13% contained, while the Fairview fire stood at 5%. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect on August 7, while the man accused of starting the Old Trails Fire faces five first-degree arson charges.

  • NWS confirms EF3 tornado in Wisconsin’s Fox Valley

    ByRishav Kothari

    The tornado that struck Wisconsin’s Fox Valley on Tuesday, July 27, 2026 has been officially rated EF3 by the National Weather Service (NWS), with preliminary surveys estimating peak winds of 225 km/h (140 mph). The tornado formed near Appleton before moving through Fox Crossing and Menasha, while the same outbreak produced widespread wind damage and giant hail across much of northern and eastern Wisconsin.

  • Japan records unprecedented five-day streak of temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F), the longest on record

    ByReet Kaur

    Japan recorded temperatures of 40°C (104°F) or higher for the fifth consecutive day on July 25, 2026, marking the country’s longest such streak on record as an exceptionally persistent heatwave continued under a dominant Pacific high-pressure system. Heatstroke alerts remained in effect across much of the country, while additional climatological analysis suggests this summer is already approaching last year’s record number of locations reaching the 40°C (104°F) threshold.

  • Tokachidake volcano erupts for first time since 2004, Japan

    ByTeo Blašković

    The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed a very small eruption at Tokachidake’s 62-2 crater at 11:07 LT (02:07 UTC) on July 22, 2026, the volcano’s first eruption since February 2004. A black plume rose approximately 200 m (656 feet) above the crater rim, while Volcanic Alert Level 2 remained in effect. Tokachidake is located in central Hokkaido, on Japan’s northernmost main island, approximately 900 km (560 miles) north-northeast of Tokyo.

  • Dangerous heat expands across the Southern U.S. with major to locally extreme HeatRisk

    ByReet Kaur

    Dangerous heat is forecast to persist across the southern United States for several days while expanding into the Central and Southern Plains. The National Weather Service is forecasting widespread Major to locally Extreme HeatRisk, daytime highs of 35–41°C (95–105°F), heat index values reaching 41–46°C (105–115°F), and record warm overnight lows of 24–27°C (75–80°F) through Sunday, July 26, 2026. The prolonged combination of hot afternoons and unusually warm nights is expected to produce cumulative heat stress, particularly for people without adequate cooling or hydration.

  • Rare Atlantic Niña develops as strengthening El Niño points to quieter 2026 Atlantic hurricane season

    ByRishav Kothari

    A rare Atlantic Niña has developed across the equatorial Atlantic while El Niño continues strengthening in the tropical Pacific. Although Atlantic Niña events are relatively uncommon, forecasters say the developing pattern could reinforce atmospheric conditions that typically suppress tropical cyclone formation across the Atlantic basin.

  • Strengthening El Niño and Atlantic cold anomaly in focus for Winter 2026–27 outlook

    ByRishav Kothari

    A strengthening El Niño and a persistent cool sea-surface-temperature anomaly in the subpolar North Atlantic, associated with the feature known in climate research as the North Atlantic warming hole, may influence large-scale atmospheric circulation during early Winter 2026–27 across North America and Europe, according to seasonal forecast guidance from major international forecasting centers.

  • Reservoir breaches and Maysak floods leave 159 dead, 10 missing in Guangxi, China

    ByTeo Blašković

    Severe flooding caused by Tropical Cyclone Maysak left 2 people dead in Nanning, Guangxi, on July 6, 2026, after extreme rainfall caused Liulan and Yunbiao reservoirs in Hengzhou to overtop and develop breaches. The Nanning flood-control briefing reported about 55 000 people affected and 48 000 evacuated, as of late Monday, July 7. By August 21, the death toll had risen to 159, while 10 remained missing.

  • LaGuardia records highest midnight temperature on record as New York City heat wave persists

    ByReet Kaur

    LaGuardia Airport recorded an official temperature of 34.4°C (94°F) around midnight into July 4, 2026, establishing the station’s highest midnight temperature on record as an intense heat wave affected New York City and much of the northeastern United States. According to National Weather Service observations, the reading surpassed the previous midnight record of 33.9°C (93°F) set on July 18, 2013. The National Weather Service maintained Extreme Heat Warnings across much of the New York metropolitan area as dangerous heat persisted through the overnight hours.