Sun enters the solar maximum phase for Solar Cycle 25
NASA and NOAA announced on October 15, 2024, that the Sun has officially entered its solar maximum phase, a period marked by heightened sunspot activity, expected to continue into 2025.
Tropical Storm “Nadine” makes landfall in Belize
Tropical Storm “Nadine” made landfall in Belize City at 16:00 UTC (10:00 local time) on Saturday, October 19, 2024, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h (60 mph). Nadine is the 14th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in Belize since Category 1 Hurricane “Lisa” in 2022.
NWS confirms record 15 tornadoes in one day in South Florida
Florida saw a record-breaking 15 tornadoes on October 9, 2024, as Hurricane “Milton” swept through — the most ever recorded in the region in a single day. Among the 15 two were rated EF-3, causing significant damage across Palm Beach Gardens and Lakeport communities.
European farmers threaten to paralyze the continent in November over unresolved grievances
The farmers’ movement roared back to life in Toulouse on October 16, 2024, with protests calling for government support on fuel subsidies, livestock diseases, and market stability. Jérôme Bayle, a prominent leader of the protest movement in southwestern France, warned that if their demands remain unmet, farmers across Europe could ‘paralyze’ the continent in November, potentially disrupting trade routes and causing widespread economic impact.
Widespread power cuts hit Ecuador as country battles severe energy crisis and worst drought in 61 years
Ecuador is experiencing a significant energy crisis, leading to widespread power outages and economic challenges. The crisis is primarily due to reduced water levels affecting hydroelectric power generation, which supplies a substantial portion of the country’s electricity.
Helene inflicts over $6 billion in agricultural and forestry losses in Georgia, impacting key U.S. crop production
Georgia farmers have suffered over $6 billion worth of losses due to Hurricane “Helene” according to preliminary estimates released on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Sounded visualisation of Earth’s magnetic field reversal during the Laschamp event
Approximately 41 000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic field reversed during the Laschamp event. This caused the magnetic field to weaken to just 5% of its current strength, allowing more cosmic rays to reach the planet’s surface.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS enters LASCO C3 field of view, first full-resolution science data from STEREO shows comet is very bright
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), discovered in January 2023 by the Tsuchinshan Observatory and the ATLAS project, reemerged from behind the Sun in September and garnered attention from astronomers across the world due to its rapid brightening. On October 7, 2024, the comet entered the LASCO C3 field of view, beginning a series of rare observations accessible to more than just astronomers with specialized equipment.
Weakest polar vortex for October in 40 years could affect winter weather across North America and Europe
The polar vortex forming over the Northern Hemisphere in 2024 is at its weakest point for early October in the last 40 years, with potential consequences for winter weather patterns across North America and Europe. The vortex’s unusual behavior this season could lead to significant disruptions in cold outbreaks in parts of the eastern United States, Canada, and Europe.
Rare early discovery of Kreutz comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) ahead of October 28 perihelion
A new comet discovered by the ATLAS survey on September 27 and provisionally labeled A11bP71 was named C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) on October 1. It will pass its perihelion on October 28 at a distance of approximately 0.0082 AU, which is about 1.2 million km (around 762 000 miles) from the Sun’s center. C/2024 S1 is…
