Climate

Fast-moving wildfires in Spokane, Washington, destroy hundreds of homes: "Worst natural disaster our region has faced"

Update: Arson arrest in Spokane wildfires (see post below) . . . Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the wildfires burning through the area the "worst natural disaster our region has faced."

Wind-driven wildfire prompts evacuations in eastern Washington

A fast-moving wildfire driven by strong winds has swept across northwest Spokane, Washington. The Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people.

Department of Energy issues emergency order across 17 states to help prevent power blackouts

The emergency order allows Southwest Power Pool, Inc., the regional transmission organization for states in the Central U.S., to direct backup generation resources to reduce strain on the grid. This would be a last resort before issuing Level 3 Energy Emergency Alerts. These alerts trigger actions to reduce demand on the grid and could prompt rolling blackouts to prevent broader system failure.

Map Shows States Under Air Quality Alerts as Thousands Told Stay Inside

Air quality alerts spanned large swaths of the western United States on Sunday as wildfire smoke and high ozone levels triggered unhealthy breathing conditions across Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Montana, Colorado, and California.

Firefighters battle to contain France and Spain wildfires as thousands more evacuated

Firefighters are struggling to contain wildfires raging in France and Spain - nearly 200,000 people are evacuated near Bordeaux - where are the fires burning?

Wildfires expose millions in Midwest, Northeast to dangerous smoke: "Perfect storm for really dry conditions"

Heavy smoke from several large wildfires blazing in Canada and Minnesota is expected to engulf large swaths of the Midwest and Northeast U.S. this week, exposing millions of people to dangerous air pollution.

Heat and severe storms damper July 4th celebrations, leave hundreds of thousands without power

While millions of Americans across the Northeast experienced record-setting temperatures, thunderstorms in the Midwest downed trees, ruptured power lines and made transportation treacherous.

Heat dome scorches US: Where will records be broken?

Communities in the central and eastern United States are feeling the effects of a potentially-deadly, record-breaking heat wave Wednesday. The extreme heat will be all the more dangerous as it mixes with high humidity arriving ahead of the July Fourth holiday.

Experts axed by Trump keep climate information flowing

Fired US federal workers have revived a defunct climate website — pushing back as the Trump administration escalates cuts to publicly funded science and research.

France reports 1,000 additional deaths as extreme heat shatters European records

Driven by climate change and global warming, the "once-in-a-generation" heat wave is now occurring nearly every year . . .

World Enters “Era of Global Water Bankruptcy” UN Scientists Formally Define New Post-Crisis Reality for Billions

Flagship report calls for fundamental reset of global water agenda as irreversible damage pushes many basins beyond recovery

A mysterious ‘cold blob’ in the ocean has puzzled scientists. A new study says it’s an ominous sign

A new study says it has the answer to this mystery — and it’s an ominous sign the world is hurtling toward one of the most alarming climate tipping points.

Prepare for imminent return of El Niño, UN warns

Fueled by unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Niño conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of extreme weather over the coming months, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Earth on track for record heat over next 5 years — UN report

Meteorologists predict a high chance that global average temperatures could reach record levels between 2026-2030.

Map Shows US Cities That Could Go Underwater if Sea Levels Rise 3 Meters

One of the world's largest glaciers, located in Antarctica, is on the verge of collapse, amplifying concerns about sea level rise.

UN - General Assembly backs historic World Court climate crisis ruling

A landmark General Assembly resolution adopted on Wednesday is “a powerful affirmation” of international law, climate justice and science, according to UN chief António Guterres.

Water emergencies spread across South Texas as drought worsens. Here's where

Nearly a dozen cities and counties have now declared disasters

‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds

Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by Gulf of Mexico before end of this century, authors say

Approximately 40 homes in Enid damaged after severe storms produced large tornado

The National Weather Service said the preliminary rating for the Enid tornado is EF-4.

National Interagency Fire Center - Weekly Update - April 23, 2026

Some parts of the country are already getting a reminder of how quickly fire can move this time of year.

GDACS - Overall Red Tropical Cyclone for SINLAKU-26 in Northern Mariana Islands, Guam

Scientists have found an alarming environmental impact of vast data centers

They found surface temperatures increased by an average of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit after a data center started operations. In extreme cases, nearby temperatures reached up to 16.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

UN weather agency warns of record ‘climate imbalance’ as planetary warming accelerates

The Earth’s energy imbalance is a new indicator the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has started tracking, with results pointing to a notable acceleration in the rate at which warming has been progressing between 2001 and 2025.

Study finds sea levels are higher than we thought, placing millions more at risk

Climate change's rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said.

Live Updates: Blizzard whips Northeast with whiteout conditions, dangerous winds and power outages

A potentially historic snowstorm is about to bring the Northeast to a standstill.