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.
A slow-moving storm brought extremely heavy rains to parts of France on Thursday, October 17, 2024, with the Ardèche Cévennes region experiencing rainfall totals as high as 700 mm (27.6 inches). This led to widespread flooding and approximately 350 rescue operations. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Ecological Transition, said the region is facing a situation that is unprecedented in its scale.
Florida saw a record-breaking 15 tornadoes on October 9, 2024, as Hurricane “Milton” swept through — the most ever recorded in the region in a single day. Among the 15 two were rated EF-3, causing significant damage across Palm Beach Gardens and Lakeport communities.
Floods triggered by heavy rainfall and thunderstorms between October 12 and 14, 2024, claimed two lives in the city of Marrakech, Morocco.
The Al-Sayyal tropical depression dropped 215 mm (8.46 inches) of rain in the state of Sur in Oman during 24 hours between October 15 and 16, 2024; equivalent to what Jeddah receives in 5 years. Several regions were flooded on due to the continuous downpour since Monday, October 14.
Severe flooding in Sri Lanka following last week’s torrential rains has left three people dead, injured two, and affected over 134 000 residents, with Colombo and Gampaha among the hardest-hit areas.
Multiple earthquakes hit Iceland’s Reykjanes Ridge during the early hours of October 14, 2024, with the strongest reaching M3.0 near Eldey Island.
A freeze warning was issued for the Quad Cities region on Monday, October 14, 2024, the area braces for subfreezing temperatures.
An unusual buildup of snow from Siberia to North America in late October could destabilize the polar vortex, leading to colder and snowier conditions across the United States, Canada, and Europe this winter.
Frost and subfreezing temperatures are forecast for northern Illinois through the nights of October 15 and 16, 2024.
Flooding in Nigeria’s Kogi State has displaced nearly 2 million people as of October 14, 2024, with over 200 communities and approximately 60 000 ha (150 000 acres) of land submerged as the Niger and Benue rivers overflowed.
