Weather and Natural Disasters

Growing wildfires blamed for death of Florida firefighter, destruction of 120 Georgia homes

By Emilie Megnien, Russ Bynum, Associated Press

Tornado barrels through Oklahoma, damaging 40 homes and shutting down roads

Communities began cleaning up Friday after a powerful tornado in Oklahoma damaged at least 40 homes, ripping roofs off of some and reducing others to rubble in a rural community as emergency crews rescued trapped residents, authorities said.

By Sean Murphy, Associated Press

Super Typhoon Sinlaku pounds remote U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean with ferocious winds

Super Typhoon Sinlaku pounded the Northern Mariana Islands for hours before daybreak Wednesday, slowing just to inflict more damage across the islands of Tinian and Saipan, home to nearly 50,000 people.

By John Seewer, Kathy McCormack, Jennifer Kelleher, Associated Press

The U.S. smashed heat records in March. Just wait for El Niño this summer

March’s persistent heat was unseasonably intense, and the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Niño will reach superstrength.

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press

Skiers hit the slopes during a heat wave in Colorado

'Basically the entire U.S. is going to be hot' as record-smashing heat spreads

And it's not going away for awhile.

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press

Officials warn 120-year-old Hawaiian dam could fail as thousands told to evacuate flooding

By Jennifer Kelleher, Associated Press

Officials have been watching dam levels since a storm last week dumped heavy rain across the state, which led to catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes.

The Southwest smashing heat records in March 'is what climate change looks like'

By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press

It's more than just another extreme weather blip. It’s the latest next-level weather wildness that is occurring ever more frequently as Earth’s warming builds.

Twin lava fountains from Kilauea volcano trigger park and highway closures

By Jennifer Kelleher, Associated Press

Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, has been dazzling residents and visitors for more than year with an on-and-off eruption that periodically sends fountains of lava soaring into the sky.

2 killed and homes damaged after tornadoes tear through Illinois and Indiana, with more storms moving in

By Hallie Golden, Kathy McCormack, Associated Press

Several intense supercell thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana on Tuesday, including one supercell responsible for at least four tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service office in Chicago.

9 still missing after rescuers push through California winter storm to find 6 avalanche survivors

By Olga R. Rodriguez, Julie Watson, Associated Press

Crews pushed through mountainous wilderness near Lake Tahoe during a snowstorm to rescue six backcountry skiers who survived an avalanche but were trapped by its snow and ice.