The Watchers - Featured stories

Severe thunderstorm outbreak forecast across Midwest and Great Lakes

Teo Blašković — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:18:18 +0000

A severe thunderstorm outbreak is forecast across parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes this afternoon and evening, with the highest risk focused on northern Illinois, far eastern Iowa, and far southern Wisconsin.

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Flash flooding prompts emergency declarations and evacuations in western Manitoba, Canada

Rishav Kothari — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:28:51 +0000

Up to 150 residents were displaced after flash flooding struck communities across western Manitoba, Canada, following an extreme rainfall event that dropped nearly 150 mm (6 inches) of rain in parts of the Swan Valley region from late June 7 into the early hours of June 8, 2026. Local authorities declared states of emergency as floodwaters damaged roads, washed out sections of Highways and bridges, and threatened dam failure near Harvey Lake.

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M7.8 earthquake off southern Mindanao leaves at least 47 dead, over 680 injured and 12 600 homes damaged, Philippines

Teo Blašković — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:55:00 +0000

A M7.8 earthquake off southern Mindanao left at least 32 people dead, injured 134 others in preliminary civil-defense figures, and caused widespread damage in General Santos and nearby areas on June 8, 2026.

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SPC upgrades severe thunderstorm risk to Enhanced for Mid-Atlantic and Northern High Plains

Reet Kaur — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:06:47 +0000

The Storm Prediction Center upgraded parts of the Mid-Atlantic and northern High Plains to an Enhanced Risk for severe thunderstorms on June 6, 2026, as severe storms and heavy rainfall continued across parts of the Plains, Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and Northeast through June 8.

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X1.0 solar flare erupts from geoeffective Region 4455

Teo Blašković — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:24:41 +0000

An X1.0 solar flare erupted from Active Region 4455 at 11:28 UTC on June 3, 2026, producing R3 - Strong radio blackout conditions on the sunlit side of Earth. This is the third major flare from the same region today, following M9.3 at 01:36 UTC and M7.7 at 07:00 UTC.

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Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi leaves 23 injured, 60 000 without power after landfall in Wakayama, Japan

Rishav Kothari — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:23:57 +0000

Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi made landfall over southern Wakayama Prefecture at 04:30 JST on June 3 (19:30 UTC on June 2), bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds that injured at least 23 people, damaged 57 homes, left more than 60 000 customers without power, and prompted evacuation orders affecting more than 400 000 residents. The storm also triggered the first Level 5 Special Flood Warning issued under Japan's new five-level disaster alert system.

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Rare dust storm, hail, and extreme winds hit Harbin as multi-hazard event unfolds in Northeast China

Rishav Kothari — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:01:10 +0000

A rare dust storm accompanied by winds of up to 148 km/h (92 mph) struck Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, at around 17:00 LT on May 31, causing widespread damage, reducing visibility to less than 100 m (328 feet), and disrupting transportation and public events across the city. The same atmospheric setup also produced a tornado in Changling County, Jilin Province, as a broader outbreak of severe weather affected parts of Northeast China.

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Bombing low brings destructive winds, heavy rain, and coastal hazards to southwest Western Australia

Rishav Kothari — Sun, 31 May 2026 14:43:28 +0000

A rapidly deepening low-pressure system southwest of Western Australia is bringing damaging to destructive winds, severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and coastal hazards to broad areas of the state's southwest on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Wind gusts of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) are possible southwest of a line from Lancelin to Albany, including the Perth metropolitan area, while dangerous surf, coastal erosion, and inundation affect exposed sections of the coast.

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Daylight meteor airburst releases energy equal to about 300 tons of TNT over New England

Teo Blašković — Sun, 31 May 2026 08:37:16 +0000

A meteor traveling about 120 700 km/h (75 000 mph) fragmented high above northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire at 18:06 UTC (14:06 EDT) on May 30, 2026, releasing energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT and producing a loud boom reported across New England, according to NASA.

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Record rain triggers severe flooding across Mérida and parts of Yucatán, Mexico

Rishav Kothari — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:25:29 +0000

Historic rainfall affected much of Yucatán on May 29, 2026, with Mérida setting a new all-time May rainfall record after 154 mm (6.1 inches) fell in 24 hours. Floodwaters inundated roads, stranded hundreds of vehicles, and caused significant disruptions across the city and surrounding areas.

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