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.
The unexpected display of noctilucent clouds all over Europe since June 23, 2024, has given rise to a couple of speculations as to why are these clouds forming during a solar maximum when high solar activity inhibits their formation.
On June 26, 2024, the Institute of Volcanology of the University of the Azores (IVAR) increased the volcanic alert level for the Santa Barbara volcano on Terceira Island to V3, and the Third Fissural Volcanic System to V1, on a scale ranging from V0 (green, normal) to V6 (red, erupting), due to seismic crisis that has been affecting the western part of the island since June 24, 2022, which continues to increase.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Fairbanks issued multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings on June 27, 2024, as severe thunderstorms began to stretch over Northern Alaska and the Arctic Circle. These storms generated winds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) and quarter-sized hail.
Russian decommissioned satellite Resurs-P1 broke up in orbit on June 26, 2024, releasing roughly 100 pieces of trackable debris. The number rose to 180 by the end of June 27 and is expected to keep rising, according to Leo Labs. Following the breakup, NASA instructed the 9 astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take shelter in their respective spacecraft as a standard precautionary measure.
Flooding has affected millions of acres of farmland in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Iowa, causing severe damage to the farmlands and farming communities of the most crucial regions of U.S. crop production. Experts estimate a reduction of almost 1 214 100 ha (3 million acres) worth of soybean and corn crops.
With monsoon rains intensifying in Nepal, at least 14 people were killed in just 24 hours on June 25 and 26, 2024, raising the overall death toll to 28 since June 9 and causing significant property damage.
On June 25, 2024, two avalanches cut off two small towns and a ski center in Maipo Province, Chile, leaving dozens isolated.
The largest outbreak of Saharan dust this summer is currently making its way across the Atlantic Ocean, potentially impacting air quality and weather patterns throughout the Caribbean and parts of the United States. This marks a significant shift in the season’s weather patterns, influenced by the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), which is known for its ability to suppress tropical cyclone formation.
The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-U (GOES-U) was successfully launched on June 25, 2024, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. This marks the completion of the Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) program, led by the University of Colorado Boulder’s LASP, enhancing space weather monitoring.
In less than six months Sydney, Australia has received more than a year’s worth of its average rainfall, making this the start of its sixth wettest winter since 1859. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts more rain over the next 7 days.
