I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
Two lunar impacts were recorded on December 8, 2024, by Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii, who captured the events using high-speed recording equipment. The observations were made during routine skywatching activities, which coincided with a Saturn eclipse.
Temperatures across the Northeast are expected to reach 4 – 10 °C (40 – 50 °F), melting significant snow accumulations from last week’s lake-effect snowstorm. Rainfall totals are forecasted to reach 76 – 127 mm (3 – 5 inches) in some areas, including the I-95 corridor.
Taiwan has recorded 42 earthquakes exceeding magnitude 5.5 on the Richter scale in 2024, marking the highest count since precision seismic monitoring began in 1991 with the implementation of the Taiwan Strong Motion Instrumentation Program. The surge in seismic activity has been largely attributed to the April 3 Hualien earthquake, a powerful magnitude 7.4 event that struck 15 km (9.3 miles) south of Hualien City, causing extensive damage, 18 fatalities, and over 1 100 injuries.
A strong explosion took place at Indonesia’s Dukono volcano at 06:15 local time (LT) on December 7, 2024, producing a tall ash column up to 6 km (20 000 feet) above sea level (a.s.l.).
Increased seismic activity was observed at Indonesia’s Ranakah volcano over the past month, prompting the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) to raise the Alert Status for the volcano from Level 1 to Level 2 on December 3, 2024. The last eruption at this volcano took place in 1991.
At least 3 people have been reported dead in West Java, Indonesia after heavy rains triggered floods and landslides on Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
A very bright fireball was observed over Hokkaido shortly after 01:00 local time (LT) on Thursday, December 5, 2024 — 16:00 UTC on December 4.
A winter storm gripping the northeastern United States and Midwest caused chaos along the I-90 corridor in Pennsylvania, where lake-effect snow led to a multi-vehicle crash involving several semi-trucks on December 3, 2024. Conditions along the I-90 will be nearly impossible to travel today and meteorologists are urging to limit or cancel travel as blowing snow in Western Pennsylvania could reduce visibility to zero.
A daylight fireball was observed over Kansas and Oklahoma at around 13:15 CST (19:15 UTC) on December 2, 2024. The meteor fragmented into multiple pieces, with hues of orange, green, and blue reported. Witnesses noted its vivid visibility despite the broad daylight.
A powerful Arctic cold front is set to bring hazardous travel conditions across the Great Lakes and northeastern United States, with heavy snow squalls, strong winds, and whiteout conditions expected from Wednesday through Thursday, December 4 through 5, 2024.
