Natural Disasters

NASA’s head of heliophysics explains how we weathered the worst solar storm of a generation—and discusses the challenges we face in preparing for the next one

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be disastrous. Experts warn that a storm’s Saffir-Simpson category misses many storm dangers

The National Hurricane Center’s hurricane season outlook for the Atlantic Ocean forecasts 17 to 25 named storms in 2024 because of an expected combination of warm ocean temperatures and a La Niña climate pattern

An atmospheric scientist explains what wind shear is and how it influences hurricanes

Nearly half of residents lost income after a hurricane, a new study shows. Most were low-paid hourly workers in storefront shops

Earth is shifting into a La Niña period, changing climate patterns all around the globe

Years of careful planning helped safeguard against last weekend’s severe space weather, but we still don’t know how we’d cope with a monster event

From Gaza to India to the Philippines, climate change exacerbated often record-breaking extreme heat over the past month

Floods, wildfires, droughts and earthquakes forced more than 26 million people to leave their homes in 2023

An active hurricane season could be in store because of ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic that broke records for more than a year

Astronomy’s future may be slipping away—one climate disaster at a time

Homes that survive wildfire flames but that are still affected by smoke, soot and ash is a growing issue for homeowners and insurers, as is the question of how to best remediate the problem