The Governor of California Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency on August 18, 2020, as a result of the ongoing wildfires and heatwave affecting the state. As of early August 20, more than 400 wildfires are burning across the state. An 'Extreme…
According to data provided by the National Weather Service, the temperature at Furnace Creek weather station in Death Valley National Park, California reached 54.4 °C (130 °F) at 15:41 CDT on Sunday, August 16, 2020, breaking the previous August 16 record of…
A fire tornado produced by the Loyalton Fire in Northern California forced the National Weather Service to issue its first-ever fire tornado warning on Saturday, August 15, 2020. At least five tornado-strength/scale vortices are likely to have occurred within just 2…
A wildfire sparked at the Angeles National Forest in California at around 22:38 UTC (15:38 LT) on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, has spread to 4 450 ha (11 000 acres) by 22:45 UTC on August 13 and is only 5 percent contained. The fire is located near Lake Hughes Road…
A new earthquake swarm started beneath the Salton Sea in California on August 10, 2020. The risk of a larger earthquake over the next 7 days is considerably elevated due to the swarm when compared to background levels. The southernmost section of the San Andreas…
A major wildfire emerged in Cherry Valley, Southern California, on Friday evening, July 31, 2020, prompting evacuation orders for more than 8 000 people in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The blaze, called the Apple Fire, has spread to 10 860 ha (26 850…
In a new study, scientists have warned that the Ridgecrest earthquakes in Southern California in 2019 could increase the chance of a San Andreas Fault earthquake. The probability is higher because the 2019 temblors stressed the Garlock Fault, which links the…
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.8 hit central California at 17:40 UTC on June 24, 2020. The agency is reporting a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 miles). 12 aftershocks were reported over the next 47 minutes, with the strongest one M4.5. The…
A new seismological study found that a naturally-occurring injection of underground fluids triggered an earthquake swarm near Cahuilla, California, that lasted for nearly four years. The research shows an evolving understanding of how fault architecture drives…
An unseasonal storm system brought snow to higher elevations of California on Monday, May 18, 2020, while thunderstorms developed through the foothills, as well as the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys on Tuesday, May 19. According to the National Weather Service…
