Disaster

Investigators are examining what sparked a major wildfire on one of California’s Channel Islands after U.S. Coast Guard details indicated a stranded sailor’s distress flares may have played a role. The incident also included a dramatic rescue from Santa Rosa Island as the fire burned nearby.

Multiple strong tornadoes tore across parts of Nebraska and Iowa Sunday evening into the night, damaging or destroying homes and buildings and triggering rescues. With more than two dozen tornado reports across the Plains, additional damage assessments are expected as the severe weather threat continues into Monday.

Flash flooding can transform a small creek into a dangerous torrent in minutes. Mountain “funnels,” rain-enhancing terrain effects, wildfire burn scars, and limits in detection and communication can all compress risk into a short window—sometimes before people realize they need to move.

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

Multiple tornadoes struck parts of central and southern Mississippi, damaging hundreds of buildings. In Purvis, a pastor described “just total devastation” after a tornado destroyed parts of his church, while video from the aftermath shows damage stretching across the landscape.

A sudden pyroclastic flow from the Mayon volcano sent residents fleeing as heavy ashfall blanketed dozens of villages across three towns, forcing hundreds of families to remain away from their homes.

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

A rare late-April snowstorm in Moscow delivered heavy, wet snow that toppled trees and power lines across the city, while travel disruptions included grounded flights. Residents woke Monday to an unexpected return of winter conditions.

Drone footage from Runaway Bay, Texas, shows extensive damage after the National Weather Service classified a tornado as an EF2. Officials reported at least two deaths in North Texas, and dozens of families lost their homes. The tornado produced maximum winds of 130 mph, remained on the ground for four minutes, and tracked nearly 1.5 miles.

Storm chasers recorded striking footage of twin tornadoes spinning near Braman, Oklahoma, close to the Kansas border, as residents were warned to take cover. Local officials reported damage in the area, though the town itself was not directly hit.