The Taklimakan Desert in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was blanketed by snow on December 12, 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year this rare phenomenon has occurred in a desert known for its arid conditions and minimal annual precipitation.
Larger steam and gas plumes have been detected at Whakaari/White Island volcano, New Zealand since December 10, 2024. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at 2 and the Aviation Color Code is maintained at Yellow. No ash emissions have been detected so far.
Tropical Cyclone Chido rapidly intensified before making landfall over the Agalega on Thursday, December 12, 2024, as the strongest cyclone to hit the island since 1983. The cyclone is now heading toward Madagascar, Mayotte, and Mozambique.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for parts of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York, and the North Country regions, as heavy lake-effect snow is expected to bring up to 90 cm (3 feet) of accumulation in the third lake-effect snowstorm of the season.
An outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), also known as nacreous clouds, has been observed over the Arctic since December 9, approximately one month earlier than the typical season, which in the Arctic usually spans from January to March.
The Franklin Fire has rapidly engulfed 1 233 ha (3 049 acres) in Malibu, California since its start late Monday night, December 9, 2024, prompting mandatory evacuations for thousands and leaving firefighters battling zero containment as of Tuesday morning, December 10, 2024. The blaze is currently threatening around 18 000 citizens along with over 8 000 structures. Authorities are urging the public to stay away from the Malibu area at all costs.
A series of earthquakes struck near the New Madrid Fault Line in southeastern Missouri on December 9, 2024, with the strongest registering M3.0 at 06:27 UTC (12:27 local time), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This region, known as the New Madrid Seismic Zone, is the most seismically active area in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.
A strong atmospheric river (AR) is set to impact the Southeastern and Northeastern U.S. this week, bringing anomalously high moisture levels and the potential for heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt. Forecasts indicate the system will strengthen between December 10 and 11, driven by a plume of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a cold front.
A series of atmospheric rivers (ARs) and mid-level shortwave troughs are forecast to deliver significant precipitation to the United States West Coast starting mid-week, potentially extending into next week. Forecasts indicate that California, Oregon, and Washington will experience varying levels of rainfall intensity, with Northern California likely at the epicenter of the heaviest activity. The first AR in the series is expected to reach California on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
A new eruption was observed at Home Reef submarine volcano in Tonga through satellite imagery acquired on December 7, 2024. This marks the second eruptive phase at Home Reef volcano this year.
