Weather

2025 Ranks Among Hottest Years on Record, Even as La Niña Offered Little Relief

New datasets show 2025 among the three warmest years globally and the fourth-warmest in the U.S., with oceans, ice and extremes reflecting sustained warming.

Arctic Blast Set to End Record Warm Spell, Bringing Dangerous Cold to Much of U.S.

Forecasters warn polar-vortex-driven Arctic air will plunge temperatures well below normal across the central and eastern U.S. from mid-January.

Ex–Cyclone Koji Floods Queensland Towns, Rekindling Debate Over Warning Systems

Record rain from ex–Cyclone Koji swamped parts of Queensland, forcing rescues and isolating towns as leaders clash over flood warnings and infrastructure.

Victoria bushfires raze towns after rare ‘catastrophic’ alert; state of disaster declared

Extreme heat, winds and dry lightning drove fast-moving fires across Victoria, burning up to 395,000 hectares and destroying hundreds of structures.

Blizzard, then bitter cold: Western Alaska’s winter swings upend life in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

A Jan. 4–5 blizzard shut down travel across Alaska’s Y-K Delta, part of a string of storms and temperature swings linked to a warming Bering Sea.

Storm Goretti lashes Channel coast with 200 kph gusts, snow and widespread power cuts

Explosively deepening Storm Goretti batters northern France and Britain with record gusts, heavy snow, outages and travel chaos; few casualties reported.

Greenland’s Prudhoe Dome Was Ice-Free 7,100 Years Ago, Study Finds, Raising New Warnings on Future Melt

Sediments drilled from beneath northwest Greenland show Prudhoe Dome vanished in the early Holocene, implying modest warming could spur major ice loss.

Multi-Day Winter Storm Pattern to Spread Snow, Flooding Rains and Severe Weather Across More Than 30 States

A sprawling Jan. 6–10 storm pattern brings feet of mountain snow in the West, flooding rain and tornado risk in the South, and weekend snow near the Great Lakes.

Cyclones Hayley and Jenna batter remote Australia in unusually intense season start

Two storms in days hit WA’s Dampier Peninsula and the Cocos Islands, underscoring an early surge in intense cyclones and strain on remote services.

Met Office Finds Winter Warmth Bringing More Flowers to Britain and Ireland

A decade of New Year Plant Hunt records shows each 1°C rise in Nov–Dec temperatures brings about 2.5 more wild plant species into bloom.

Back-to-Back Cyclones Batter Remote Australian Communities, Raising Fears of a Fierce Season

Cyclones Hayley and Jenna strike Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula and the Cocos Islands, testing infrastructure and highlighting rapid intensification risks.

Report warns 6.9 million Australians live on the urban firefront as heatwave grips south-east

Climate Council and former fire chiefs say city sprawl puts 6.9 million Australians at bushfire risk, urging tougher planning, retrofits and faster cuts.

Worst Since Black Summer: Heatwave Pushes Southern Australia to the Limit

A severe heatwave hits southern Australia with mid-40s temperatures, straining health and power systems and raising fire danger across several states.

Atmospheric river meets king tides, flooding Bay Area roads as Sierra blizzard snarls travel

California’s first 2026 atmospheric river hit during king tides, flooding Bay Area streets and highways while fierce winds and heavy snow shut Sierra routes.

UK Records Warmest and Sunniest Year as Met Office Confirms 2025 Climate Milestones

The Met Office confirms 2025 was the UK’s warmest and sunniest year on record, with persistent heat, drought and flooding pointing to accelerating climate change.