The Guaíba River in Porto Alegre, Brazil, reached a historic water level of 3.01 meters on the morning of November 20, 2023. This marked the third-highest flood level since 1941, following heavy rainfall across its contributing basins. The rising waters led to the river overflowing its banks at the Central Wharf, a rare occurrence in the city’s recent history.
The Dominican Republic has been severely impacted by a tropical disturbance that brought record-breaking rainfall and catastrophic flooding across various regions.
In the wake of destructive storms that hit northwestern Turkey on November 19, 2023, search efforts are underway for 11 missing crew members of the Kafkametler, a cargo ship that sunk off the Black Sea coast. The Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, confirmed the recovery of one body from the ship, which was among several maritime and land emergencies caused by the severe weather. These incidents have led to at least nine fatalities, including deaths from flooding and structural damage in various parts of the country.
A vigorous cold front is currently sweeping across the western United States, bringing a mix of high-elevation snow, coastal and valley rains, and strong winds, as reported by the National Weather Service. This weather pattern is expected to rapidly progress eastward, potentially impacting Thanksgiving travel with a series of severe thunderstorms, heavy rains, and snowfall anticipated to hit the central and eastern regions of the country early next week.
Heavy rainfall since late October 2023 has severely affected northern Tanzania, especially the Arusha Region. The resulting floods and river overflows have led to at least 10 fatalities, displacement of approximately 90 families, and significant damage to houses and bridges. The worst-hit areas in the Arusha District include Muriet, Terrat, Elerai, Morombo, Lolovono, and Ngarenaro. Further heavy rainfall is forecasted for most of the country.
Tropical Cyclone “Mal” formed near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific Ocean on November 10, 2023, as the second named storm of the 2023/24 South Pacific Ocean cyclone season. The system is moving SE toward Fiji and is expected to pass close the eastern coast of Viti Levu Island on late afternoon (UTC) of November 14.
Storm Debi hit Ireland and Northern Ireland on Monday, November 13, 2023, leading to extensive power outages, road network disruptions, and flooding, exacerbating the challenges faced by residents and emergency services in these regions.
An evolving storm system off the California coast, forecasted to develop into at least one atmospheric river, is set to deliver substantial rainfall and snowfall across the West Coast starting this weekend. With the Northeast Pacific Ocean as the stage, the interaction of several low-pressure systems is predicted to have significant impact, particularly from November 14 to 17, as per the Atmospheric River Reconnaissance field campaign.
A large tornado struck the village of Lavovo, near Isperih in Bulgaria’s Razgrad Province on November 4, 2023, unroofing more than 100 homes and causing widespread infrastructure damage, including downed trees and electric poles. Accompanying storms inflicted further havoc across Central and South Bulgaria, with multiple regions experiencing power outages and flooding, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.
Storm Ciarán — the 5th named and the most powerful storm of the 2023/24 European windstorm season — wreaked havoc across Western Europe on November 2, 2023, with record winds reaching 200 km/h (124 mph), leading to floods, blackouts, and major disruptions. Ciarán underwent explosive cyclogenesis, affecting Western Europe and culminating in numerous fatalities, record-breaking wind speeds, and extensive power outages.
