Disaster

A major wildfire burning on California’s Santa Rosa Island remains under investigation after U.S. Coast Guard details indicated a stranded sailor’s distress flares may have contributed to the start of the blaze. The sailor was rescued as the fire continued to burn on the island.

Flash flooding can transform a shallow creek into a dangerous torrent in minutes. Mountain terrain, wildfire burn scars, and even urban drainage limits can combine with heavy rain and communication gaps to create fast-moving, hard-to-anticipate emergencies.

Colorado residents shared videos of a late-season storm that dropped more than two feet of snow in some locations, arriving after what had been described as the driest winter in 40 years.

A series of tornadoes tore through central and southern Mississippi, damaging hundreds of buildings and leaving scenes of what one local pastor called “total devastation,” including destruction at parts of a church in Purvis.

A sudden pyroclastic flow from the 8,000-foot Mayon volcano sent residents fleeing as ash blanketed more than 87 villages across three towns, forcing hundreds of families to stay away from their homes amid ongoing mild eruptions since January.

Southern Georgia is experiencing exceptional drought, the most severe category on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Meteorologist Sara Tonks explains that beyond the dry conditions, Hurricane Helene’s tree damage left additional fuel on the landscape—helping explain why wildfires expanded so dramatically in acreage burned.

Moscow residents woke to an unusual late-April snowfall that brought wet, heavy snow, downed trees and power lines, and caused flight disruptions across the city.

Drone footage from Runaway Bay, Texas, documents the damage path of an EF2 tornado that the National Weather Service said produced peak winds of 130 mph, remained on the ground for four minutes, and tracked nearly 1.5 miles. Authorities reported at least two deaths in North Texas, while dozens of families lost their homes.

Storm chasers recorded unusual footage of two tornadoes spinning close together near Braman, Oklahoma, as warnings urged residents to seek shelter. Local officials reported damage in the area, though Braman itself was not directly hit.

Floodwaters in Cheboygan County, Michigan have swamped homes and vacation cabins, while along Black Lake the damage has taken an unusual turn: ice sheets have pierced through structures. Families are learning the extent of the destruction through videos and posts shared online, as record weather conditions contribute to flooding and heartbreak across the area.