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 powerful storm swept through Belarus on July 14, 2024, causing significant damage, and severe flooding, destroying major power lines, and claiming 6 lives. The storms continued through the rest of the week, affecting primarily the capital of Minsk and surrounding regions on July 18.
Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan area were severely impacted by heavy rainfall on July 19, 2024, with up to 634 mm (25 inches) recorded over the past two days. The torrential downpour was the heaviest of this rainy season, with more heavy rain expected starting July 20.
A very bright fireball was observed over Monsenhor Hipólito, Piauí, northeastern Brazil, at 03:10 UTC on July 13, 2024. The recorded magnitude for the fireball was -19.5, making it approximately 500 times brighter than the full moon.
A large-scale landslide occurred in Zigui County, Yichang, Hubei Province, on the morning of July 17, 2024, causing significant damage to infrastructure and agriculture. The landslide affected a 1.2 km (0.75 miles) long stretch of Wugao Road and 24 ha (60 acres ) of citrus orchards. The event is part of a series of landslides triggered by recent heavy rains and flooding across the region.
Severe storms and at least four tornadoes hit New York state on July 17, 2024, causing significant destruction, killing at least one person, and leaving over 110 000 homes without power.
Strong thunderstorms that wreaked havoc across the Chicago area on July 14 and 15, 2024, spawned at least 25 tornadoes, left one person dead, and over 430 000 customers without power.
Southern and eastern Europe have endured a prolonged heatwave since early July, with temperatures forecast to remain high for at least another two weeks. The most intense heat was felt across the Balkan Peninsula and eastern Europe, where daily temperatures exceeded 40 °C (104 °F) in many areas. The Mediterranean Sea has also seen unprecedented warmth, with water temperatures reaching 30 °C (86 °F) in some areas.
A powerful and deadly derecho swept across the Midwest on July 15, 2024, leaving an 800-km (500-mile) path of destruction from Iowa to Indiana. The storm, with wind gusts reaching up to 169 km/h (105 mph), caused extensive damage, power outages affecting hundreds of thousands, and at least one fatality. The National Weather Service issued numerous Tornado Warnings as the storm downed trees, tore roofs off buildings, and disrupted travel across the region.
Severe, widespread flooding hit parts of central China on July 15 and 16, 2024, as record-breaking torrential rains, with up to a year’s worth in 24 hours, claimed at least four lives.
Increased seismic activity was recorded at the Ijen volcano in Indonesia between January 1 and July 12, 2024. On July 12, a significant energy increase was observed along with a rise in continuous tremor amplitude, prompting authorities to increase the Alert Level from 1 to 2.
