A rare earthquake registered by the USGS as M4.8 hit New Jersey, U.S. at 14:23 UTC (10:23 LT) on April 5, 2024, at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 miles). This earthquake — now known as the 2024 Whitehouse Station, New Jersey Earthquake — is the strongest to hit New Jersey since 1783.
A small, short-lived explosion was detected at the Atka volcanic complex in Alaska at 03:36 UTC on March 28, 2024 (19:36 AKDT on March 27).
Coronal mass ejection (CME) produced by the X1.1 solar flare at 01:33 UTC on March 23, 2024, is expected to impact Earth late March 24 or early March 25, producing G2 – Moderate to G3 – Strong geomagnetic storming.
Heavy rains in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state on March 22, 2024, resulted in at least nine fatalities, with Petropolis being the hardest hit. A staggering 270 mm (11 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours, significantly impacting the region and leading to numerous incidents, including landslides and house collapses. The storm then moved to the neighboring state of Espírito Santo, dropping more than 200 mm (7.8 inches) of rainfall within 24 hours.
In a stellar event anticipated to occur between now and September 2024, the T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) star system, located 3 000 light-years away, is predicted to undergo a nova outburst, becoming visible to the unaided eye. This rare occurrence, last witnessed in 1946, will temporarily elevate the system’s brightness to match that of the North Star, offering a unique viewing opportunity.
The volcanic eruption that started in Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland on March 16, 2024, continues at a fairly constant rate, marking the most substantial activity in the region with four registered eruptions since December 2023. This event has caught the attention of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) due to the large volumes of sulfur dioxide (SO2) released into the atmosphere.
Heavy rainfall affecting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on March 19, 2024, caused extreme flooding in the Duhok Governorate, leading to the deaths of at least two people and damage to dozens of homes.
A bright green fireball streaked through the night sky over Spain at 01:54 UTC on March 16, 2024. The event was seen as brighter than the full moon.
Scientists at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas, announced the discovery of a vast volcano and a potential glacier ice sheet in Mars’ Tharsis volcanic province, near the equator. The finding, based on images from spacecraft orbiting Mars since 1971, highlights a volcano provisionally named “Noctis” and suggests the presence of glacier ice beneath a volcanic deposit. This discovery opens new avenues for studying Mars’ geological evolution and future exploration.
After more than a month of magma buildup, a new eruption began in Reykjanes Peninsula, between Hagafell and Stóra-Skógfell, at 20:23 UTC on March 16, 2024.
