A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.8 hit near the southeast coast of Cuba at 16:50 UTC (11:50 local time) on November 10, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 23.5 km (14.6 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.8 at a depth of 17 km (10.5 miles). The quake was preceded by M5.9 at 15:50 UTC.
Two atmospheric rivers are set to bring heavy rainfall and flood risks to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California from November 10 to November 14. The storms are expected to bring significant precipitation, with the heaviest rainfall forecast for the Olympic Peninsula and Cascade Mountains. The peak rainfall is predicted to occur between November 10 and November 13.
A severe winter storm impacting parts of Colorado and New Mexico is expected to bring additional heavy snowfall on Friday, November 8, 2024. Parts of the area had already accumulated 25 – 50 cm (10 – 20 inches) of snow by Thursday night, November 7, prompting the Colorado governor to declare a disaster emergency for what could be Denver’s most severe snowstorm in 30 years. Snowfall rates of 2.5 – 5 cm per hour (1 – 2 inches per hour) are anticipated to continue across the region, with total snow accumulations forecast to reach 30 – 120 cm (1 – 4 feet) in some areas.
The Mountain Fire has burned through 8 287 ha (20 485 acres) of land since it broke out on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. The blaze has destroyed several homes and left six people injured, including one firefighter.
A severe snowstorm has been impacting New Mexico and Colorado since Wednesday, November 6, 2024, dropping nearly 30.5 cm (1 foot) of accumulated snow as of Thursday morning, November 7 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Several parts of New Mexico are expecting to see record-breaking snowfall by Friday, November 8 with Colorado expecting heavy snow starting Friday and into Saturday, November 9.
A new powerful eruption took place at Indonesia’s Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano on November 7, 2024, producing a thick column of ash that rose up to 16.7 km (55 000 feet) above sea level. This eruption follows increased volcanic activity since the end of October and a powerful eruption on November 3 during which 9 people died and more than 2 000 homes were damaged by lava bombs.
Hurricane “Rafael” made landfall in Cuba’s Artemisa Province, near Playa Majana, at 21:15 UTC on November 6, 2024, with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 956 hPa. The storm caused a national power outage, leaving 10 million people without electricity, marking Cuba’s second blackout in less than a month. Authorities suspended public transit, schools, and flights from Havana’s main airport and Varadero, while farmers in key agricultural regions moved to protect valuable tobacco crops and other produce from damage.
A major solar flare registered as X2.3 erupted from Active Region 3883 at 13:40 UTC on November 6, 2024. The event started at 13:24 and ended at 13:46 UTC. Meanwhile, a glancing blow from the CME associated with the M3.8 on November 4 is expected on November 7.
Barcelona experienced severe flooding after over two months’ worth of rain fell over the region in less than three hours on Monday, November 4, 2024, leading to severe floods across the region and causing significant disruption in flights, railways, and other transport services.
The Salton Sea, California’s largest inland lake, is receding faster than anticipated, primarily due to water diversions from the Colorado River to urban areas like San Diego. A recent study led by Ryan Sinclair of Loma Linda University, involving community scientists and balloon mapping techniques, has documented shoreline changes, revealing that toxic dust levels could further deteriorate air quality for nearby residents.
