• Record 2024–2025 honeybee colony losses reported across United States, over 60% lost in Texas

    Beekeepers across the United States reported record managed honeybee colony losses between April 2024 and April 2025, with over 60% of hives lost in Texas, according to preliminary survey results and beekeeper accounts. Nationwide, an estimated 55.6% of colonies died—marking the highest loss rate since official monitoring began in 2010.

  • Over 2 200 killed, 3 500 injured after shallow M6.0 earthquake hits Hindu Kush, Afghanistan

    Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry confirmed on September 1 that at least 622 people were killed and more than 1 500 injured following a shallow M6.0 earthquake in the Hindu Kush region at 19:17 UTC (23:47 local time) on August 31, 2025. On September 4–5, a Taliban spokesperson said 2 217 people were killed, and by September 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported nearly 3 000 deaths and about 4 000 injuries. Entire villages were destroyed and access routes blocked by landslides and rain-triggered debris flows.

  • Cross-polar flow and weak polar vortex drive early-season cold anomaly across North America

    A strong early September cold air intrusion is forecast to affect much of the central and eastern United States from September 3 to 7, 2025, with daytime highs of 15–20°C (59–68°F) and overnight lows of 7–9°C (44–48°F) across the Midwest and Great Lakes, up to 10°C (18°F) below average for this time of year. This development also marks a rapid seasonal transition.