Mount Hutt skifield in New Zealand received nearly a meter (3 feet) of unexpected late-season snow, creating snowdrifts as high as 5 m (16 feet), which could prompt a rare reopening. The snowfall occurred over the long holiday weekend, peaking on October 26, 2024.
A complex storm brought record-breaking rainfall to New Mexico and severe snowfall to Colorado from October 17 to 20, 2024. According to the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), the storm was driven by a mid-level shortwave trough that deepened into a cutoff low-pressure system over Arizona, pulling in abundant moisture and creating conditions for intense thunderstorms.
New activity/unrest was reported for 5 volcanos from October 23 to 29, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 17 volcanoes.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit off the coast of Oregon, U.S. at 20:15 UTC on October 30, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
A deep earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit near the coast of Papua New Guinea at 12:18 UTC on October 30, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 521 km (323 miles).
A powerful storm system hit eastern Spain this week, delivering more than a year’s worth of rain in just one day and causing historic flooding in Valencia, where at least 62 people lost their lives on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. The town of Chiva set a new 24-hour rainfall record, reporting 491 mm (19.33 inches) in just eight hours, while several other areas recorded rainfall totals between 100 mm (3.94 inches) and 200 mm (7.87 inches) on the same day.
The United States experienced a record-breaking 24 “billion-dollar” weather and climate disasters thus far in 2024, each incurring significant economic damage and resulting in the loss of 418 lives. This year’s toll greatly exceeds the long-term annual average of 8.5 events recorded between 1980 and 2023 and surpasses the recent five-year average of 20.4 events.
Northern New South Wales experienced intense hailstorms on October 28, 2024, with “giant” hailstones up to 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter damaging property and disrupting daily life. At the same time, Darwin, in the Northern Territory, has been enduring record-breaking heat, reaching 35.4 °C (95 °F), marking the 14th day above 35 °C (95.72 °F) this month.
Tropical Storm “Trami”, struck Central Vietnam’s Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang regions on Sunday, October 27, 2024 flooding more than 28 000 homes and isolating 58 villages in Quang Binh Province. With at least three casualties and one person missing, authorities have mobilized rescue teams as rain and high tides continue to impact the area.
A Level 4 flood warning has been issued for China’s Hainan province after the outer rain belt of Tropical Cyclone “Trami” brought record-breaking rainfall to parts of the province leading to severe floods in the cities of Sanya and Wanning.
