Weather

Moscow residents woke to an unusual late-April snowstorm that toppled trees, damaged power lines and disrupted air travel. The heavy, wet snow highlighted how rare late-season winter weather can quickly strain city infrastructure and daily routines.

La Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean recorded 71.8 inches of rain in a single day in 1966—an amount that exceeds Miami’s typical annual rainfall. Its volcanic terrain and frequent cyclone activity help explain how the island can produce such extraordinary precipitation.

A widespread drought has expanded across nearly the entire Southeast after a warm, dry winter and an unusually dry spring. With only limited rainfall expected in the near term and outlooks suggesting further deterioration into summer, communities face heightened wildfire risk, stressed soil moisture and growing pressure on water resources.

New research suggests the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could weaken more sharply by 2100 than many earlier projections indicated, with potential consequences for sea level, storm patterns, regional temperatures and rainfall.

A strong El Niño forecast is linked to expectations for fewer Atlantic hurricanes. That quieter season could also mean less tropical rainfall for parts of the South and Southeast—regions where drought coverage has expanded sharply compared with a year ago.

A new forecast from The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2 points to a below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, citing El Niño conditions and relatively lukewarm Atlantic waters as key factors. The outlook also raises the question of how it compares with other seasonal projections released so far.

After a winter and early spring marked by a shortage of spring showers and mountain snowfall across the West, a new weather pattern is delivering much-needed moisture. Forecasts call for rain at lower elevations and feet of snow in the mountains, though snowpack remains extremely low and the region still needs far more to close the deficit.

Severe storms are possible across the Plains over the next few days, with the threat potentially spreading into parts of the Midwest and the Mississippi River Valley by mid-week. Hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes are among the main hazards, and several major cities could see multiple days of active weather.

El Niño is expected to form later this year. Here’s what meteorologists mean by a “super El Niño,” and why a stronger event can matter for U.S. weather and broader climate patterns.

The winter solstice signaled the start of astronomical winter, drawing large crowds to Stonehenge and Glastonbury Tor in England for celebrations tied to long-standing seasonal traditions.