In a fraction of time, a tornado changes lives and landscapes forever. From far above, Landsat captures a hint of the destruction.

On the night of May 16, 2025, it took less than two hours for an EF-4 tornado to tear a path nearly 60 miles long through forested and residential areas of Somerset and London, Kentucky.

Hundreds of homes and an airport were among the structures damaged or destroyed, and 19 people lost their lives. Winds reached 170 mph, and at its widest, the tornado stretched nearly a mile to mow down trees in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

The Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) uses Landsat imagery to map land cover and track changes across the United States each year. A recent update added 2025 land cover to the database, which now contains 41 years of information dating to 1985.

These 2024 and 2025 Annual NLCD images before and after the Kentucky tornado show one example of the changes that Landsat and Annual NLCD reveal, providing a valuable resource for government agencies, researchers, businesses, and communities.

🔗 Learn about the latest release and explore Annual NLCD: https://t.co/mHuplApAtJ

📷1: Annual NLCD 2024 map of the Somerset and London area of southern Kentucky before the tornado. Mixed forest is shown in light green, deciduous forest in medium green, and small patches of evergreen forest in dark green. Pasture/hay land is shown in yellow; small patches of cropland in dark brown; and open water in dark blue. Shades of pink and red are developed areas, including roads and residential areas.

📷2: Annual NLCD 2025 map of the same area after the tornado. The light tan line, indicating the tornado’s path, shows where the land cover classification shifted from forest to grass.

USGS Landsat

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As El Niño is forecast to intensify, the risk of heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall & other extreme weather is increasing. The WMO community steps up coordination, climate info services & #EarlyWarnings to help countries prepare for potential impacts.
➡️ https://t.co/hgILfdYYs7 https://t.co/H5nKxdtr5d

World Meteorological Organization

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The world's largest terrestrial mammal migration is under threat.

IUCN has recommended emergency inscription of South Sudan's Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape to the @UNESCO World Heritage List — and to the List of World Heritage in Danger, given rising conflict, poaching, and infrastructure pressures.

Decision next week in Busan.

https://t.co/96sIA0SSR4

IUCN

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July 13, 1-min @NOAASatellites GOES-19 Vis images with Fire Mask derived product showed numerous wildfires that forced a closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in far northeastern Minnesota. More on the CIMSS Satellite Blog: https://t.co/XIysZcKwJI
#MNwx @NWSduluth https://t.co/fQCUx9Spnd

UW-Madison CIMSS

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A #HeatDome continues to dominate much of the central United States, bringing sweltering summer heat to much of the northern U.S. For #TimeLapseTuesday, @NOAA’s #GOESEast (GOES-19) 🛰️ tracked the developing dome in this water vapor imagery from July 12 to today. https://t.co/gSKOGczSLa

NOAA Satellites

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A #HeatDome continues to dominate much of the central United States, bringing sweltering summer heat to much of the northern part of the country. For #TimeLapseTuesday, @NOAA’s #GOESEast (GOES-19) 🛰️ tracked the developing dome in this water vapor imagery from July 12 to today. https://t.co/iK7KiDik4L

NOAA Satellites

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A #HeatDome continues to dominate much of the central United States, bringing sweltering summer heat to northern parts of the country. For #TimeLapseTuesday, @NOAA’s #GOESEast (GOES-19) 🛰️ tracked the developing dome in this water vapor imagery from July 12 to today. https://t.co/1x7ETJHALg

NOAA Satellites

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A #HeatDome continues to dominate much of the central United States, bringing sweltering summer heat to northern parts of the country. For #TimeLapseTuesday, @NOAA’s #GOESEast (GOES-19) 🛰️ tracked the developing dome in this water vapor imagery from July 12 to today. https://t.co/EEsxDvSXnF

NOAA Satellites

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Wildfires have exploded in northern Minnesota and Ontario in the last 24 hours, producing thick smoke plumes and even some pyrocumulonimbus clouds.

The smoke has drifted across eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S., creating hazy skies over those regions today. https://t.co/IRMKZS22lp

CIRA

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📸 Enter the International Mountain Day 2026 photo contest!
Capture life on mountain rangelands and share your shot.
The winner will receive an action camera.
👉 https://t.co/3jixs2Fva6
📅 Deadline: 10 Aug 2026
#MountainsMatter @UNMountains https://t.co/4endjlQzYn

FAO Forestry

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From restoring coastlines to growing drought-resilient crops, simple solutions are transforming lives. The @WorldBankGroup is helping 425M people build resilience - keeping roads open after floods, protecting harvests & securing jobs when disasters strike. https://t.co/ErysF43QTt https://t.co/rbk1ICjoCN

World Bank Group Climate and Environment

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#Flood Watches and #FlashFlood Warnings are covering a sizable portion of South Texas this afternoon, as @NOAA’s #GOESEast (GOES-19) 🛰️ tracks the deep moisture over the region. There is a moderate-to-high risk for excessive #rainfall through tomorrow morning.

More: https://t.co/O5xcyrpYWW

NOAA Satellites

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The wildfires in Ontario burn brightly at night, captured earlier today by polar-orbiting satellites. https://t.co/e0Cnd5dPGf

CIRA

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🦉 The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Hub Webinar Series continues!

🦌This session brings together speakers from across Europe to present IUCN restoration initiatives and how they support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The webinar will also serve as guidance for other organisations throughout the region on how to contribute to the UN Decade digital hub.

📅 Date: July 21, 2026
⏰ Time: 15:00 - 16:30 CEST
📍 Location: https://t.co/W2KS2gMGVo

🌍 Visit the UN Decade Ecosystem Restoration Hub to explore existing initiatives:https://t.co/Ehz2jhz03D.

#GenerationRestoration #UNDecade #restoration

IUCN Forest and Grasslands

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El Nino and the MJO favor a continued active East Pacific with significant chance of tropical cyclone (TC) development from July 22-28 and additional risk of TC formation from July 29-August 4.
https://t.co/hD8bhsP39Q https://t.co/JZEknOFqTY

NWS Climate Prediction Center

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🌡️ Only around 54% of countries report issuing extreme heat warnings.

New research identifies 10 priorities to strengthen heat early warning systems and help turn forecasts into protective action.

Explore the findings ➡️ https://t.co/jp5JoBiAxY https://t.co/olkkSogJ3o

UNDRR

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Reminder: Call for feedback closes July 17!

NASA has issued a draft solicitation to advance critical technologies for lunar and cislunar exploration targeting gaps in the key areas of vertical solar arrays, ISRU oxygen production, radioisotope power, in‑space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials. These efforts aim to mature key systems and accelerate progress toward NASA’s Moon Base and other missions.

📅 Share your ideas by July 17 and help shape the future of exploration.

NASA has issued a draft solicitation to advance critical lunar and cislunar technologies.

The focus: closing gaps in vertical solar arrays, ISRU oxygen production, Stirling radioisotope generators, in‑space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials.

These efforts aim to mature key systems, accelerating progress toward NASA’s Moon Base and near‑term missions.

https://t.co/fHcXHsUgCo - NASA Technology

NASA Technology

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🌡️ Extreme heat is no longer just a seasonal challenge. In cities worldwide, it's reshaping how people live, work and move.

#WRIExplains explores the cascading impacts of urban heat and practical solutions cities can use to build resilience.

Read more: https://t.co/ezNYNxSwmb https://t.co/6CqITdRIBo

WRI Climate

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A changing climate is creating new pressures for firms. The latest World Bank flagship report from #MENA, Afghanistan, & Pakistan shows why access to finance, a better business environment, and greener production matter for resilience & competitiveness.
https://t.co/vsXx0L4jXy https://t.co/fhNUrJDE4q

World Bank Group Climate and Environment

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¡Nueva Convocatoria!

🚨 Convocatoria vigente hasta el 31 de Julio del 2026.

Conoce más: https://t.co/d954z9qw4o https://t.co/7hYbMIyiRp

Conservación Internacional 🇨🇴

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