Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has set a new record for low temperatures, reaching -52.3 °C (-62.14 °F) in Fuyun County, leading to the death of numerous birds and surpassing a cold record held since 1960. Amidst the Chinese Lunar New Year’s return, this severe cold has resulted in extensive traffic disruptions and emergency responses across the region.
Tropical Storm “Eleanor” formed over the southern Indian Ocean on February 19, 2024, as the 6th named storm of the 2023/24 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. The cyclone is strengthening as it turns southward toward Saint Brandon and Mauritius. The current forecast track takes its center very close to Mauritius on February 23.
On February 16, 2024, the Brazilian Navy identified a subtropical depression ESE of Rio de Janeiro, which intensified into Tropical Storm “Akará” by February 19. Akará is the first named tropical storm to develop in the South Atlantic Ocean since Iba in 2019 and the basin’s first named storm in February since Bapo in 2015. The system is expected to continue intensifying, but remain well away from Brazil.
A destructive snow avalanche mixed with rubble struck the village of Nakre in the Tatin valley, Nugram district of Nuristan Province, overnight on Sunday, February 18, 2024. The disaster resulted in at least 25 fatalities and 8 injuries, with around 20 homes destroyed or heavily damaged.
Severe storms hit NSW, Australia on February 19, 2024, causing injuries, transport shutdown, and flash flooding. The storms have resulted in four people injured by a lightning strike, significant transport disruptions, and the ignition of three houses. Sydney recorded up to 57 mm (2.24 inches) of rain, intensifying the risk of flash flooding across the state.
An atmospheric river event continues directing subtropical moisture over much of California on Monday, February 19, 2024. Heavy coastal and low elevation rain, thunderstorms, heavy mountain snow and high winds are all expected from this new atmospheric river event.
The British Columbia wine industry is bracing for unprecedented crop losses due to an extreme cold event in January 2024, with preliminary estimates forecasting a production decrease of 97 – 99%, resulting in industry-wide revenue losses between $440 – 445 million.
Satellite images from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission have revealed the scale of an oil spill off Trinidad and Tobago’s coast, following The Gulfstream shipwreck. The spill has extended over 160 km (100 miles) westwards, threatening neighboring marine areas.
Tropical Cyclone “Lincoln” made landfall on the Gulf of Carpentaria coast between Port McAarthur and the Northern Territory – Queensland border at 06:00 UTC on February 16, 2024, as a Category 1 storm. Shortly after, it weakened and moved west across the Northern Territory, with heavy rainfall forecasted and a moderate risk of redeveloping into a tropical cyclone.
In the aftermath of the January 1 earthquake, the city of Wajima in Ishikawa Prefecture faces significant challenges due to liquefaction, severely impacting infrastructure and complicating relief efforts. Continuous aftershocks further hinder the restoration process, with houses, roads, and manholes notably affected. Governor Hiroshi Hase has requested a comprehensive investigation from the central government to address the escalating situation, emphasizing the need for seismic reinforcement of underground infrastructure.
