Weather

Florida wildfire sends smoke over Alligator Alley, tests evacuation plans for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention center

The 35,000-acre National Fire in Big Cypress has snarled I‑75 and raised new questions about how Florida would protect or move detainees at a remote immigration facility.

Ranger Road Fire Scorches 283,000 Acres Across Oklahoma and Kansas, Testing Plains Wildfire Readiness

A late-winter windstorm fueled the year’s largest U.S. wildfire so far, killing livestock and destroying homes as drought and dry grasses primed the Plains.

Météo-France: February 2026 Was France’s Wettest on Record as Flood Alerts Hit Unprecedented Levels

A new Météo-France bulletin says February 2026 was the wettest on record and unusually warm, fueling weeks of floods and record Vigicrues alerts.

Four-Day Stretch of Severe Storms Targets Central U.S., With Friday Tornado Threat Highest

A multi-day round of severe storms will sweep the Plains and Midwest through Saturday, with Friday’s enhanced tornado risk from Texas to Missouri.

Magnitude 4.6 earthquake rattles Kingston, renewing calls for preparedness

A light 4.6 quake shook Kingston and several parishes March 1. No major damage was reported, but officials urged vigilance and code enforcement.

Australia’s summer swings from 50°C heat to flooding rains, testing communities and farms

Australia’s 2025–26 summer brought record heat and fire danger, then a monsoon low dumped year’s worth of rain, flooding towns and hurting harvests.

Late-Season Winter Storm Hits Northern China and South Korea, Bringing Heavy Wet Snow

A sprawling storm dumps unusually heavy, wet March snow across Hebei and South Korea, threatening travel, power lines and fragile greenhouses.

Florida’s Big Cypress wildfire forces highway closures as drought fuels fast spread

The 35,000-acre National Fire in Big Cypress has shut key roads, prompted burnouts and highlighted how drought is altering wildfire risk in Florida.

From Floods to 90s: California’s Winter Whiplash Shows the New Extremes

In less than two weeks, California swung from flooding and a deadly Sierra avalanche to record February heat—an extreme pattern scientists link to warming.

Winter wildfire scorches 175 acres near Gillespie–Blanco line, damaging fire trucks

A fast-moving Hill Country grass fire drew air support and 16 departments, burned 175 acres and damaged apparatus—an early warning for winter.

Warm, dry January triggers ‘snow drought’ across the West, raising water supply concerns

Snowpack in California’s Sierra and much of the West has plunged after a warm, dry January, reviving worries despite full reservoirs.

Scientists Warn El Niño Could Return in 2026, Putting 2027 Heat Records at Risk

Forecasters see roughly even odds of an El Niño in late 2026. Scientists say that could make 2027 a contender to surpass 2024 as hottest year.

First ‘Extreme Cold Warning’ Under New NWS System Hits Washington-Baltimore as Arctic Blast Drives Subzero Wind Chills

Arctic air and 60-mph gusts push wind chills below zero in the Washington-Baltimore region, triggering the first Extreme Cold Warning under new NWS alerts.

Storm Leonardo Triggers Mass Evacuations and Flooding Across Spain, Portugal and Morocco

Days of torrential rain from Storm Leonardo flood Iberia and northern Morocco, forcing 150,000+ evacuations, disrupting rail and elections, and raising dam fears.

Cyclone Fytia Floods Madagascar’s Northwest, Killing at Least Three and Displacing Thousands

Rapidly intensifying Cyclone Fytia swamped Mahajanga and Antananarivo, leaving deaths, widespread flooding and renewed questions about resilience.