• SPC forecasts supercells and damaging wind clusters across Iowa late May 15

    The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed Iowa under an Enhanced Risk for severe thunderstorms late May 15, 2026, with severe/damaging winds and large to very large hail forecast late this afternoon and evening. Initial supercells may produce hail of 5 cm (2 inches) or larger before storms organize into clusters capable of localized wind gusts above 120 km/h (75 mph).

  • Kīlauea episode 47 ends after 9 hours, fine ash and Pele’s hair fall outside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

    Episode 47 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea ended at 00:27 HST (10:27 UTC) on May 15, 2026, after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) said the eruption is paused and lowered Kīlauea to Volcano Alert Level Advisory and Aviation Color Code Yellow.

  • Pennsylvania seeks federal aid after April freeze damages specialty crops

    Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro requested a USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation for all counties after below-freezing temperatures on April 21, 2026, damaged specialty crops across the state. Early estimates place possible economic losses for Pennsylvania’s specialty-crop industry at USD 150 million to USD 200 million.

  • Giant hail up to 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and damaging winds hit Texas

    Severe thunderstorms produced giant hail up to 11.4 cm (4.5 inches), damaging winds, power outages, and road blockages across parts of Texas on May 10 and 11, 2026, after the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed parts of west-central and north-central Texas under an Enhanced Risk. SPC storm reports included baseball-size hail in several counties, wind damage near Hamilton, more than 18 000 power outages in the Austin area, and gusts up to 135 km/h (84 mph) near Corpus Christi NAS.

  • SPC warns of Critical fire weather conditions across eastern Montana and west-central North Dakota

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a Critical fire weather forecast for parts of eastern Montana into west-central North Dakota valid from 12:00 UTC on May 11 through 12:00 UTC on May 12, 2026, as multiple National Weather Service offices warned that strong winds, low humidity, dry fuels, and frontal wind shifts would support rapid wildfire spread across parts of the northern and central Plains.