The Watchers - Editor's Picks

New Jersey declares State of Emergency and seeks Disaster designation after April freeze causes USD 300 million in crop losses

Rishav Kothari — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:32:04 +0000

New Jersey declared a State of Emergency on May 20, 2026, and requested a federal Disaster designation after freezing temperatures between April 19 and 22 caused widespread agricultural damage across the state during a critical growing stage. Early estimates place losses at more than USD 300 million.

Source

M6.1 earthquake damages buildings and injures 28 in Ica, Peru

Teo Blašković — Wed, 20 May 2026 11:02:00 +0000

A strong earthquake registered by the IGP as an M6.1 struck near Ica, southern Peru, at 12:57 LT (17:57 UTC) on May 19, 2026, injuring 28 people and damaging homes, schools, health facilities, roads, and other public facilities.

Source

Asteroid 2026 JH2 to fly past Earth at 0.24 lunar distances

Teo Blašković — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:45:00 +0000

Asteroid 2026 JH2 is expected to pass Earth at a distance of 0.237 LD (0.00061 AU / 91 300 km / 56 700 miles) from the center of our planet at 21:23 UTC on May 18, 2026. Its closest point will be about 84 900 km (52 700 miles) above Earth’s surface.

Source

Asteroid 2026 JM2 passed Earth at 0.1 lunar distance

Teo Blašković — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:58:53 +0000

Asteroid 2026 JM2 passed Earth at a distance of 0.114 LD (0.00029 AU / 43 800 km / 27 200 miles), from the center of our planet at 13:06 UTC on May 7, 2026, becoming the 4th closest known asteroid flyby within 1 lunar distance recorded so far this year. At its closest, the object was about 37 400 km (23 200 miles) above Earth’s surface, about 1 600 km (1 000 miles) outside the altitude used by geostationary satellites.

Source

Increased seismicity and gas emissions at Kupreanof volcano, Alaska

Teo Blašković — Sat, 09 May 2026 16:44:18 +0000

Seismic activity and sulfur dioxide emissions have increased at Kupreanof volcano in Alaska over recent months, likely due to magmatic intrusion beneath the volcano. Kupreanof is a heavily glaciated stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula with no known historical eruptions. Current data do not indicate an eruption is imminent.

Source

Multiple tornadoes reported in southeastern Türkiye during deadly severe weather outbreak

Teo Blašković — Wed, 06 May 2026 15:34:23 +0000

The European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) listed multiple tornado reports across southeastern Türkiye on May 3, 2026, during a severe storm episode that caused casualties, injuries, widespread damage, power disruption, and localized flooding. The Şanlıurfa Governorate confirmed 1 death and 40 injuries in Birecik and Viranşehir during the outbreak, while a later report quoted Governor Hasan Şıldak as saying the death toll had risen to 2.

Source

Monster 18 cm (7.1 inch) hailstone sets new state record in Texas

Rishav Kothari — Fri, 01 May 2026 16:00:58 +0000

What initially looked like a discarded gallon jug in a roadside ditch turned out to be a record-breaking hailstone, now confirmed as the largest ever documented in Texas at roughly 18 cm (7.1 inches). It was discovered near Vigo Park in Swisher County by storm chaser Val Castor and his associates on June 2, 2024. They clicked several pictures of the hailstone alongside objects to provide a visual reference of size and submitted them to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). The size of the hailstone was determined using photogrammetry and AI analysis along with the estimates from the storm chasers.

Source

Magma accumulation exceeds 25 million m³ beneath Svartsengi, Iceland

Teo Blašković — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:07:43 +0000

More than 25 million m³ (883 million ft³) of magma has accumulated beneath Svartsengi, Iceland, since the last eruption in July 2025, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported on April 28, 2026. IMO said ground uplift continues at up to 2 cm (0.8 inches) per month, while magmatic dike propagation toward the Sundhnúkur crater row remains the most likely scenario and could lead to an eruption.

Source

Asteroid 2026 HZ4 passed Earth at 0.072 lunar distances, the second closest of the year

Teo Blašković — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:39:49 +0000

Asteroid 2026 HZ4 passed Earth at a distance of 0.077 LD (0.00020 AU / 29 709 km / 18 460 miles) from the center of our planet at 12:13 UTC on April 24, 2026, becoming the second-closest known asteroid flyby within 1 lunar distance recorded so far this year. Its closest point was about 23 338 km (14 501 miles) above Earth’s surface, placing it inside the orbit of geostationary satellites.

Source

Damaging ice shoves push into homes in Cheboygan County, Michigan

Teo Blašković — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:57:09 +0000

Wind-driven ice shoves struck multiple lakes in Cheboygan County, Michigan, during an ongoing flooding event in April 2026, pushing onshore and into residential structures. The event is unfolding as elevated water levels from snowmelt and recent rainfall continue to drive flooding and evacuations across northern Michigan.

Source