• Record snowfall blankets parts of U.S. during Thanksgiving snowstorm

    A powerful lake-effect snowstorm fueled by record-warm water temperatures in the Great Lakes unleashed its full force over 2024 Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, burying parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan under more than 90 cm (3 feet) of snow. The city of Erie, Pennsylvania, experienced its snowiest day on record on Friday, November 29, receiving 57.4 cm (22.6 inches) of snow in 24 hours. The Arctic air colliding with the warm lake waters triggered intense snowfall rates of up to 100 mm (4 inches) per hour, creating hazardous conditions that are expected to persist until midweek.

  • Powerful cold wave brings record lows and snow to China

    A powerful cold wave swept through northeastern China from Monday through Tuesday, November 25 to 26, 2024, bringing Heilongjiang’s heaviest snowstorm of the year. Hegang, a city in the province, received 53 mm (2.1 inches) of snow in just 24 hours, leading to a total accumulation of 37 cm (14.6 inches). Thousands of personnel and machines were mobilized to clear the snow and ensure public safety as temperatures dropped sharply.

  • Thanksgiving weekend Arctic blast in heartland, heavy lake-effect snow in Great Lakes

    The 2024 Thanksgiving weekend will bring a significant Arctic blast to the U.S. heartland, with dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills extending across the northern Plains and upper Midwest. This Arctic outbreak is expected to deliver the coldest conditions since February, lasting through the holiday weekend across the Northern Plains-Midwest and into parts of the South and East. The threat of heavy lake-effect snows across the Great Lakes continues to increase as well.

  • 5 000 vehicles stranded, 36 injured as Storm Caetano hits France

    Storm Caetano swept through France on Thursday, November 21, 2024, bringing an unseasonal winter episode with powerful winds reaching 131 km/h (81 mph) and heavy snowfall of up to 16 cm (6.3 inches). The storm caused widespread disruptions, including power outages for over 250 000 homes, severe traffic halts with 5 000 vehicles stranded, and a major accident on Route A6B near Paris that injured 36 people.

  • Over 120 schools closed in the UK as snow covers parts of Scotland

    Snowfall sweeping across the UK caused the closure of over 120 schools and suspended transport services on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Temperatures plunged to as low as -11.2 °C (11.8 °F) in Aberdeenshire on Monday, November 18 making it the coldest early winter night recorded in Scotland since 1998.

  • Widespread winter disruptions forecast for Europe as Arctic air advances

    Europe is bracing for widespread winter weather disruptions as an Arctic air mass pushes southward, triggering heavy snowfall, rain, and blizzards in November 2024. This shift, marked by a deep trough, will bring near-blizzard conditions to Sweden and Finland, while northern Italy and the Balkans face the risk of flash floods and heavy snow. Coastal regions of the UK and Ireland are also on alert for a powerful storm system with 150 km/h winds by the weekend.