A major X5.0 solar flare erupted from Active Region 3536 at 21:55 UTC on December 31, 2023. The event started at 21:36 and ended at 22:08 UTC. This is now the strongest solar flare of the current solar cycle — Solar Cycle 25 — and the strongest flare since X9.3 on September 6, 2017.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M6.3 hit off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia at 05:19 UTC (12:19 local time) on December 30, 2023, at a depth of 12 km (7.4 miles). USGS and EMSC report this quake as M5.6 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
A small tornado, produced by Storm Gerrit, tore through Greater Manchester, UK around 23:45 UTC on December 27, 2023, leading to significant damage and the declaration of a major incident in Tameside.
Ten people have lost their lives in a series of storm and water-related incidents across Australia, spanning from Queensland to Victoria, as severe thunderstorms battered the east coast from December 24 – 26, 2023.
Current forecasts indicate a strong Stratospheric Warming event in January 2024, potentially leading to a weakened Polar Vortex and a significant weather pattern shift across the United States and Europe.
Southern California is under a dangerous flood threat with heavy rainfall impacting Los Angeles and San Diego areas, and moving eastward. Flood Watch is in effect for more than 20 million people from Southern California to central Arizona.
China’s Shandong Peninsula is experiencing severe snowstorms, with Yantai and Wendeng setting new historic highs for snow depth amidst a severe cold wave affecting parts of the country.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling a wildfire that spread across a mountain near Cape Town, endangering South Africa’s largest naval base and leading to the evacuation of nearby houses.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.9 hit the Gansu-Qinghai border region, China at 15:59 UTC (23:59 LT) on December 18, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 11 km (6.8 miles). China Earthquake Administration is reporting the quake as M6.2.
Heavy rains and flooding struck the Carolinas on December 17, 2023, as a powerful storm system moved up the East Coast, causing record rainfall in Charleston and significant flooding along the South Carolina coast.
