Extreme hailstorms and heavy rain have transformed parts of Saudi Arabia’s desert landscape into a winter-like scene, with snow-like hail accumulation primarily affecting regions such as Al-Jawf, the Northern Borders, Riyadh, and Mecca.
Severe weather swept through Oklahoma in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024. Several tornadoes were reported, including one in the Valley Brook area that received a preliminary EF-2 rating and another in Harrah estimated at EF-3.
Subtropical Storm “Patty” formed over the northern Atlantic at 09:00 UTC on Saturday, November 2, 2024, prompting the Azores Meteorological Service to issue Tropical Storm Warnings for all islands of the Azores at 12:05 UTC.
A severe hailstorm hit El Ejido, Spain on Monday, October 28, 2024, destroying 4 500 ha (11 000 acres) of greenhouses and losses reaching up to million dollars. This event took place just one day before the worst floods in Spain’s history hit Valencia, claiming the lives of over 200 people.
Former Super Typhoon “Kong-rey” brought record-breaking rainfall to coastal China after causing significant destruction in Taiwan, where it left 3 people dead and over 500 injured. What’s left of this storm is now moving toward Japan, with western regions already experiencing its effects, expected to last into November 2. Eastern Japan and the Tohoku region are likely to be impacted from November 2 to 3, with risks of landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels.
Typhoon “Kong Rey” made landfall at the coast of Taiwan’s Taitung county at around 05:00 UTC on Thursday, October 31, unleashing destructive winds and heavy rainfall that claimed one life and knocked power out for over half a million homes in the regions and forced eveacuations of over 8 000 people. Around 500 flights have been canceled and schools and markets have been shut down due to the storm’s impact.
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.
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.
