The Pacific Northwest is bracing for a prolonged winter storm that is forecasted to last through the weekend, threatening the region with a mix of heavy rain in the coastal ranges and lower Cascades and significant snowfall in the mountain passes. This event corresponds with the CW3E’s forecast of several atmospheric rivers, set to affect the area from Saturday, December 2, through the following week.
Heavy rainfall continues affecting Kenya, causing widespread flooding. As of November 28, 2023, the floods have claimed at least 120 lives in 38 counties, with Tana River, Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera Counties bearing the brunt of the disaster. The crisis has affected over 500 000 people and displaced almost 90 000 households (around 360 000 individuals). Key infrastructure, including parts of the Garissa-Nairobi Highway, is severely impacted, and authorities are monitoring the Tana River’s major dams. Forecasts predict continued heavy rainfall, exacerbating the already dire situation.
The ongoing Deyr rainy season continues to unleash devastating floods across Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, wreaking havoc on an unprecedented scale. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) confirms that as of November 29, the crisis has affected 2 million people, displaced 746 000, and caused 96 deaths. The most severely impacted areas are in Somalia’s south-west, especially the Bay, Gedo, and Middle Juba regions.
Eastern Europe is still grappling with the aftermath of Storm Bettina, a severe snowstorm that rapidly intensified over the Black Sea and impacted the region on November 26 and 27, 2023. Ukraine has reported significant casualties, with at least five deaths and 19 injuries in the Odesa region. The storm has not only disrupted life in Ukraine but also inflicted damage and caused fatalities in neighboring countries such as Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.
A severe snowstorm hit Quebec, Canada on November 27, 2023, resulting in widespread power outages that affected more than 150 000 Hydro-Québec customers.
Heavy snowfall, strong winds, and blizzards, unleashed by Storm Bettina, have led to severe weather-related incidents and extensive damage in parts of Romania and Bulgaria on November 26 and 27, 2023. The storm resulted in the deaths of at least 3 people and left dozens injured in several countries, including Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia.
In a rare winter weather phenomenon, the western Indian state of Gujarat experienced severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes, resulting in 24 deaths and approximately 25 injuries. The state, known for rain-related calamities, was unprepared for such a storm during the winter months.
The Russian capital of Moscow is facing an extraordinary ‘black blizzard’, a weather pattern typically seen in the Far North. This phenomenon, which started overnight, has resulted in heavy snowfall and reduced visibility to approximately 100 m (328 feet), with the situation expected to persist until Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
Hurricane-force winds reaching speeds of 144 km/h (90 mph) and a significant tidal surge caused by a powerful Mediterranean cyclone named Storm Bettina have devastated parts of the Crimean Peninsula, particularly impacting Sevastopol and surrounding districts on November 25 and 26, 2023. The storm has led to widespread power outages, affecting nearly 500 000 residents, and causing considerable flooding and property damage. Bettina’s center moved over land early November 27 and is heading northward.
As Arctic air sweeps across the Great Lakes, meteorologists are warning of the season’s first significant lake-effect snow event, poised to cause travel disruptions and potentially feet of snow in some areas. This weather phenomenon, intensifying early next week, is expected to bring hazardous conditions, particularly along I-90 and in snow-prone regions of Michigan, Ohio, and New York.
