Early arrival of rare, iridescent polar stratospheric clouds over Europe
An early outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds, known for their intense iridescence, was reported over parts of northern Europe on December 17, 2023.
Global SAR arc outbreak: Geomagnetic storm leads to rare SAR arc sightings across the globe
On November 5, 2023, observers across the globe were treated to a striking light show, courtesy of a G3 – Strong geomagnetic storm. This solar event was powerful enough to push the typically high-latitude auroras into lower latitudes, with sightings as far south as Texas and Arizona in the United States, as well as in European countries like Italy and Greece. Sightings were also reported in Australia and New Zealand.
Ozone hole over Antarctica soars to one of its largest sizes on record, Hunga Tonga eruption possible cause
On September 16, 2023, a significantly large ozone hole stretched over Antarctica, covering an area of 26 million km3 (10.04 million mi3), prompting a deeper look into the possible causes. The fluctuating size of the ozone hole is a yearly phenomenon, with a notable increase from August to October, and a decrease as temperatures in the southern hemisphere’s stratosphere rise towards the year’s end.
Canada’s wildfire emissions reach record high in 2023, impacting global air quality
The annual emissions from wildfires in Canada as of June 26, 2023, have reached record levels, marking the largest amount the country has seen since satellite monitoring began in 2003.
Transatlantic smoke: Europe experiences significant impact of Canadian wildfires
Europe has experienced significant smoke transport from the intense wildfires that have been raging in Canada since May. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) has been closely monitoring the situation, tracking active fire locations, fire radiative power, emissions, and forecasting the impacts of the resulting smoke on the atmosphere.
Iberian Peninsula experiencing one of the most notable wildfire smoke events in its modern history
The Iberian Peninsula is experiencing one of the most notable wildfire smoke events in its modern history with Aerosol Index (AI) values on June 27, 2023, exceeding 4 in some locations (AOD values >1).
Large plume of Saharan dust over the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde
A large plume of Saharan dust lifted off West Africa on March 31, 2023, and started spreading west toward the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde.
Stratospheric temperature rise signals weakened polar vortex and Arctic air outbreaks in the northern hemisphere
The polar vortex, a large area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere that typically sits over the poles, is set to weaken as a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event unfolds in the northern hemisphere. This event has the potential to have a significant impact on winter weather, as it allows cold Arctic air to escape and cause outbreaks in Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States.
Rare outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) underway around the north pole
A rare outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) is in progress around the North Pole.
Noctilucent clouds outburst strongest in 15 years, NLCs seen as far south as Washington State and Oregon
A sharp spike in the frequency of noctilucent clouds was detected at the end of June 2022. This is the largest NLCs spike in the last 15 years.
