🌎 ORBIS WEATHER

Weekly Earth’s Extreme Weather Report

August 13–19, 2026

From record-breaking heat and massive wildfires to destructive flooding, tornadoes and extraordinary rainfall, the past week has delivered another round of extreme weather across the planet.

Here are some of the most significant and unusual weather events from around the world.

🌡️ RECORD TEMPERATURES

🇰🇷 South Korea — Extreme Heat Shatters Records

South Korea has endured extraordinary heat, with temperatures reaching 42.5°C (108.5°F) in parts of the country.

The heat has damaged crops, livestock and aquaculture, while Japan, Hong Kong and parts of China have also experienced exceptional temperatures. Japan recorded its first reported 40°C-plus “kokushobi” — a term used for an exceptionally cruel hot day. (The Guardian)

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — Heat and Fire Records

The UK experienced another intense heatwave, with London reaching 38.1°C (100.6°F) on August 13.

England and Wales have also recorded unprecedented wildfire activity, with the number of fires surpassing the previous annual record. (Reuters)

🌍 Global Temperature

July 2026 tied with July 2024 as the second-warmest July globally, according to the World Meteorological Organization, with global temperatures approximately 1.47°C above the pre-industrial average. (Geo News)

🌧️ HISTORIC RAINFALL & FLOODING

🇨🇳 China — Extraordinary Rainfall

The remnants of Typhoon Dolphin produced exceptional rainfall across large parts of China.

Thirteen weather stations recorded single-day rainfall records, while the storm’s moisture reached unusually far inland, affecting Zhejiang, Hubei, Henan and areas around Beijing. (Reuters)

🇯🇵 Japan — Torrential Rain

Parts of Japan experienced extraordinary rainfall and flooding, with major impacts reported in Chiba and surrounding areas.

🇺🇸 United States — Midwest Flooding

A powerful severe-weather outbreak across the Midwest produced tornadoes, flash flooding and destructive winds.

More than 650,000 customers lost power, while some areas recorded exceptionally damaging rainfall and flooding. Wind gusts approached 99 mph, with indications that some locations experienced derecho-type winds. (AP News)

🌪️ TORNADOES & SEVERE STORMS

🇺🇸 Midwest — Major Severe Weather Outbreak

The Midwest experienced one of the week’s most significant severe-weather episodes.

Tornadoes, destructive straight-line winds, lightning and flash flooding affected portions of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Emergency crews conducted numerous water rescues as rapidly rising water trapped residents.

The outbreak caused fatalities, injuries, extensive property damage and widespread power outages. (AP News)

🔥 WILDFIRES

🇪🇸 Spain — Major Wildfire Emergency

Spain remains one of Europe’s major wildfire hotspots.

Large fires have burned tens of thousands of hectares, forcing evacuations and threatening communities and infrastructure.

🇭🇷 Croatia — Deadly Wildfire

A wildfire near Omiš killed one person, injured dozens and forced approximately 1,200 people from their homes.

🇬🇷 Greece — Evacuations

Wildfires forced evacuations from tourist areas in northern Greece, including residents and vacationers escaping by boat.

🇫🇷 France — Dangerous Fire Conditions

France has experienced exceptionally dry conditions, with wildfires threatening populated areas and forcing evacuations.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — Record Wildfire Activity

England and Wales have already exceeded the previous annual wildfire record, with fires destroying homes and forcing emergency responses.

Across Europe, extreme heat and drought have created “very extreme” fire-weather conditions in numerous areas. (Reuters)

🌪️ DUST & SAND STORMS

Dust storms remain an important part of the weekly global weather picture.

Orbis Weather will track significant dust events affecting:

• 🇺🇸 Southwestern United States

• 🇲🇽 Northern Mexico

• 🇪🇸 Spain

• 🇦🇺 Australia

• 🇨🇳 China

• 🇲🇳 Mongolia

• 🇦🇫 Afghanistan

• 🇮🇷 Iran

• 🇸🇦 Arabian Peninsula

• 🇳🇦 Southern Africa

Particular attention will be given to “haboobs”, massive walls of dust capable of reducing visibility to near zero within minutes.

🌊 EXTREME OCEAN & MARINE WEATHER

🌡️ European Marine Heatwave

A remarkable marine heatwave is affecting large areas of European waters.

Sea-surface temperatures have reached as much as 6°C (10.8°F) above normal in parts of the Mediterranean, Bay of Biscay and waters around Ireland.

Scientists say marine heatwaves are affecting enormous portions of European waters, increasing stress on marine ecosystems and potentially contributing to more extreme land-based weather. (The Guardian)

🌋 VOLCANIC & GEOLOGIC WEATHER HAZARDS

Although volcanoes and earthquakes aren’t technically weather events, Orbis Weather will include them when they create major atmospheric or environmental impacts.

This includes:

• 🌋 Major volcanic eruptions

• 🌫️ Volcanic ash clouds

• ✈️ Aviation disruptions

• 🌎 Significant earthquakes

• 🌊 Tsunami-generating earthquakes

• 🏔️ Earthquake-triggered landslides

❄️ EXTREME COLD & SNOW

Because Earth’s seasons vary by hemisphere, Orbis Weather will also monitor significant Southern Hemisphere winter events.

The weekly report will highlight:

• 🥶 Exceptional cold

• ❄️ Historic snowfall

• 🌨️ Major snowstorms

• 🧊 Ice storms

• 🏔️ Extreme mountain snowfall

• 🚨 Dangerous wind chill

• 🌬️ Blizzard conditions

🌊 COASTAL FLOODING & STORM SURGE

Significant coastal flooding will also make the weekly report when caused by:

• Tropical cyclones

• Powerful extratropical storms

• Extreme high tides

• Storm surge

• Large ocean swells

• Atmospheric pressure anomalies

🌵 DROUGHT & WATER CRISIS

Extreme weather isn’t always about what falls from the sky.

Orbis Weather will monitor areas experiencing:

• Severe drought

• Exceptional drought

• Water shortages

• Reservoir depletion

• Agricultural losses

• Extreme soil dryness

• Record-low river levels

Europe’s current heat and drought are particularly important because they are helping fuel the continent’s severe wildfire season. (Reuters)

🌌 RARE & UNUSUAL WEATHER

This is one of the features that will make the Orbis Weather Weekly Extreme Weather Report different.

We’ll look for unusual events such as:

🌪️ Rare atmospheric phenomena

• Derecho

• Giant hail

• Waterspouts

• Tornadoes over water

• Fire tornadoes

• Extreme lightning

• Thundersnow

• Supercells

• Atmospheric rivers

🌡️ Temperature extremes

• Hottest temperature ever recorded

• Coldest temperature ever recorded

• Record warm nights

• Extreme temperature swings

• Unusual heat in normally cool locations

🌧️ Rainfall extremes

• One-day rainfall records

• Hourly rainfall records

• Rainfall in normally dry locations

• Flash floods

• Atmospheric-river events

🌪️ Unusual wind events

• Extreme wind gusts

• Derechos

• Downbursts

• Microbursts

• Sandstorms

• Dust walls

🌊 Strange ocean events

• Massive waves

• Extreme storm surge

• Marine heatwaves

• Coastal flooding

• Unusual sea-level anomalies

🏆 THIS WEEK’S EXTREME WEATHER WINNERS

🥇 Most Extreme Heat

🇰🇷 South Korea — 42.5°C / 108.5°F

🥈 Most Significant Wildfire Crisis

🇪🇺 Europe

🥉 Most Destructive Severe Weather

🇺🇸 Midwestern United States

🌧️ Most Extraordinary Rainfall

🇨🇳 China — Typhoon Dolphin rainfall

🌊 Most Unusual Marine Event

🇪🇺 European marine heatwave

🔥 Most Surprising Wildfire Activity

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — record wildfire numbers

🌎 THE BIGGER PICTURE

The week’s extreme-weather events demonstrate how dramatically weather hazards can vary around the planet at the same time.

While parts of Europe and Asia are battling extreme heat, drought and wildfire, other regions are dealing with historic rainfall, flooding and severe thunderstorms.

The World Meteorological Organization says a strengthening El Niño is expected to influence global weather patterns during August through October, increasing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the world while also shifting rainfall patterns. (World Meteorological Organization)

📊 ORBIS WEATHER EXTREME WEATHER SCORECARD

🌍 ORBIS WEATHER — WEEK IN REVIEW

One planet. Seven days. The world’s most extraordinary weather.

From record temperatures and historic rainfall to wildfires, tornadoes, giant storms and unusual atmospheric events, Orbis Weather tracks the extremes that define Earth’s weather every week.

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