• Edisto River crest breaks 1928 record, causing dam failures and damaging roads and bridges in Orangeburg, South Carolina

    ByTeo Blašković

    A plume of moisture from Hurricane “Rafael” moved northward into the Southeastern United States and collided with a stationary front over South Carolina, causing intense rainfall in Orangeburg County on November 6 and 7, 2024. The extreme rainfall, totaling 180 – 380 mm (7 – 15 inches) in 24 hours, overwhelmed local ponds and dams, leading to failures that sent water downstream, damaging bridges and roads near Norway, South Carolina.

  • Category 3 Hurricane “Rafael” makes landfall in Cuba, triggering nation-wide power outage

    ByTeo Blašković

    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.