Heavy rainfall since October 27, 2024, has led to severe flooding across Saudi Arabia, with Mecca among the worst affected areas. Streets and pathways in the city, including the Grand Mosque, are heavily flooded, causing significant disruption for residents, pilgrims, and visitors.
A powerful, isolated high-altitude depression brought severe weather conditions to Andalusia on Monday, October 28, 2024, with the province of Almería being particularly impacted by the heavy rainfall, hail, and thunderstorms. The storm, which began Sunday night, October 27, led to road closures and widespread damage, including hailstones up to 5 cm (1.97 inches) in diameter.
Typhoon “Kong-rey” is rapidly intensifying as it moves west-northwest toward Taiwan. The current forecast track calls for landfall on Taiwan’s southeastern coast within the next 48 – 60 hours. However, a shift westward could also lead to a direct landfall on Batanes, Philippines. Kong-rey is forecast to significantly strengthen and potentially reach super typhoon status as it approaches Taiwan.
The first major snowfall of the 2024/25 winter season arrived in Southcentral Alaska on Monday, October 28, 2024, prompting authorities to issue multiple warnings and advisories.
The Santiaguito volcanic dome complex in southwestern Guatemala is experiencing increased eruptive activity, with frequent explosions and lava block detachment from the Caliente Dome. The eruptions produce ash plumes reaching 3.5 km (11 500 feet) a.s.l. and dispersing it up to 30 km (19 miles) southwest and south.
Mount Marapi experienced four explosions on October 27, 2024, producing thick ash columns up to 4 km (13 000 feet) a.s.l. that drifted westward over populated areas, blanketing them in ash.
Record-breaking rains caused a massive landslide in Bellingham, Washington, on Sunday, October 27, 2024, blocking a three-mile stretch of northbound Interstate 5.
A recent report by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management reveals that natural disasters, primarily floods and extreme weather, hit China hard in the first three quarters of 2024, impacting over 84 million people and incurring an economic loss of 323.2 billion yuan.
An earthquake swarm consisting of 64 recorded events has been occurring in the Death Valley region of California since October 24, 2024, with magnitudes ranging from 0.5 to 4.7 and focal depths reaching a maximum of 15.9 km (9.9 miles). The seismic activity is characterized by shallow to mid-crustal depths, typical of intraplate swarms in tectonically active regions.
Severe Tropical Storm “Trami” made landfall in Divalacan, Isabela, Philippines on October 23, 2024, causing widespread flooding and landslides in which at least 90 people died and 36 remain missing. Trami reached Vietnam on October 27 and made landfall in Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang at around 03:00 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of 88 km/h (55 mph).
