Large plume of Saharan dust reaches the Caribbean and South America

Large plume of Saharan dust reaches the Caribbean and South America

The second large plume of Saharan dust reached the Caribbean and South America on June 7, 2022, after a journey of more than 5 500 km (3 400 miles), as forecasted by Copernicus CAMS and confirmed by Sentinel-5p Aerosol index.

WMO verifies 2 new world records for extreme megaflashes of lightning

WMO verifies 2 new world records for extreme megaflashes of lightning

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has verified 2 new world records for extreme megaflashes of lightning. The first is for the longest distance single flash of 768 ± 8 km (477.2 ± 5 miles) across the southern U.S. on April 29, 2020. This is 60…

Gemini Observatory records volcanic gravity waves over Hawai’i, U.S.

Gemini Observatory records volcanic gravity waves over Hawai’i, U.S.

Hours after the massive eruption at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai1 volcano on January 15, 2022, cameras at the Gemini Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawai'i, U.S. recorded red waves rippling over Hawai'i. "These are gravity waves, a type of atmospheric…

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide across the SW Pacific and Australia

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide across the SW Pacific and Australia

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are present across the SW Pacific and Australia after the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on January 15, 2022. Since the eruption, the volcano has been releasing huge amounts of sulfur dioxide and…

Very rare Polar Stratospheric Clouds Type II appear over Scandinavia

Very rare Polar Stratospheric Clouds Type II appear over Scandinavia

Northern regions of Scandinavia were treated to a very rare high-altitude spectacle on January 17, 2022, photographer Adrien Mauduit reports. For about 2 hours, rare polar stratospheric clouds (PSC) type II appeared out of nowhere, displaying a staggering…

The worst dust storm in Uzbekistan’s recorded history

The worst dust storm in Uzbekistan’s recorded history

A severe dust storm that started in southern Kazakhstan hit parts of Uzbekistan on the evening of November 4, 2021, growing under favorable weather conditions into the worst since the country started keeping meteorological records in 1871. The worst affected were…

Deep and larger-than-average Antarctic ozone hole 2021

Deep and larger-than-average Antarctic ozone hole 2021

This year's ozone hole over the southern hemisphere is again deep and larger-than-average due to the colder than usual winter atmosphere over the region. It reached its maximum area on October 7 and ranked as the 13th largest since 1979, according to NASA and…

Large amount of Saharan dust moving over the Atlantic Ocean

Large amount of Saharan dust moving over the Atlantic Ocean

Another large Saharan dust cloud has lifted off western Africa late Sunday, August 22, 2021, and is now moving over the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean and the United States. The cloud seems of similar strength to the one produced last week. Image credit:…