Large portions of the northern United States are under winter storm warnings as a strong Alberta clipper advances into the Upper Midwest and separate winter storms persist across the northern Rockies from Tuesday morning through early Wednesday, December 9-10, 2025.
A strong Alberta clipper will bring heavy snow and gusty winds to the northern Plains and Upper Midwest from Tuesday, December 9, through early Wednesday, December 10, 2025, prompting winter storm watches across multiple states.
Flood watches and warnings were issued across western Oregon and Washington on December 7, 2025, valid through December 12, as strong atmospheric river produces sustained rainfall, rising river levels and increasing landslide risk.
A powerful lava fountain from Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Hawaiʻi, destroyed the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s V3 streaming camera at around 10:00 HST (20:00 UTC) on December 6, 2025. The camera was recording live when an inclined fountain from the south vent buried it in hot pumice and tephra during Episode 38 of the ongoing summit eruption.
Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Hawaiʻi, began erupting at 08:45 HST (18:45 UTC) on December 6, 2025, when fountains emerged from the north vent, marking the start of Episode 38 of the ongoing summit eruption. Within minutes, a south vent opened, and by 09:15 HST a rare triple-vent lava fountain was active, producing jets up to 370 m (1 200 ft) high and a 6 km (20 000 feet) plume above the summit. The eruption lasted 12.1 hours, covered more than half of Halemaʻumaʻu crater with new lava, destroyed the USGS V3 streaming camera, and ended abruptly at 20:52 HST on the same day (06:52 UTC on December 7).
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 struck near Yakutat, Alaska, at 20:41 UTC on December 6, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.8 at a depth of 10 km. According to the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC), there is no tsunami danger from this earthquake.
A truck slide off due to heavy snow from the Nor’easter prompted a dramatic rope rescue along the US 35 in Mason County, West Virginia on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
Heavy snow and strong winds are affecting parts of Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Colorado, with multiple winter storm warnings and advisories in effect through Saturday, December 6, 2025. Mountain areas are expected to receive 15–60 cm (6–24 inches) of snow, creating hazardous travel conditions through the weekend.
The first of multiple Arctic blasts expected this month brought record-low temperatures across the Midwest on Thursday, December 4, 2025, with reports of over 40 record lows for the day. More record lows are expected as the Arctic wave moves through the Northeast on Friday, December 5.
The USGS has withdrawn a false alert for a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Dayton, Nevada, issued at 16:06 UTC on December 4, 2025. The automated ShakeAlert early warning system triggered a false detection, prompting an investigation into its cause. No ground shaking or seismic activity consistent with the alert was recorded, and the event has been deleted from official feeds.
