Typhoon “Shanshan” made landfall near Satsumasendai City in Kyushu, Japan on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The powerful storm, with wind gusts reaching 198 km/h (123 mph), triggered severe flooding and landslides, prompting evacuation orders affecting millions in southwestern Japan.
A record-breaking surge in wildfires swept across São Paulo on Friday, August 23, 2024, with satellite data revealing 1 886 hotspots, nearly double the historical average for August. The fires accounted for 38 % of Brazil’s total hotspots that day, surpassing even the Amazon region.
Slow-moving thunderstorms produced extremely heavy rainfall in parts of southwestern Connecticut on August 18, 2024, particularly affecting Fairfield and New Haven counties. The historic downpour caused widespread flash flooding, with Monroe experiencing a rare one in a 200-year event.
A massive wildfire near Athens has forced the evacuation of over 30 000 people and burned 10 000 ha (24 710 acres) of land, with flames advancing toward the Marathon Lake. One casualty has been confirmed as the fire continues to spread due to strong winds.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued its first megaquake advisory on Thursday, August 8, 2024, several hours after the M7.1 earthquake hit near the coast of Kyushu. The advisory warns that if a major earthquake were to occur in the future, strong shaking and large tsunamis would be generated.
Surface temperatures in parts of Antarctica have surged nearly 30 °C (54 °F) above normal recently, causing what scientists call an Antarctic “heatwave.” This temperature anomaly is described as “a near-record (or record) event for the region” by Edward Blanchard, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington.
Hurricane “Debby” made landfall near Steinhatchee in Florida’s Big Bend at 11:00 UTC on Monday, August 5, 2024. Debby had minimum central pressure of 979 hPa and maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) at the time of landfall, making it a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It was moving NNE at 17 km/h (10 mph).
Remnants of Typhoon “Gaemi” dropped extreme rainfall over China’s Hunan province on July 28, 2024, causing severe floods and landslides in which at least 15 people lost their lives. Gaemi made landfall in Fujian Province on July 24, with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph), forcing the evacuation of 290 000 people.
An impulsive solar flare measuring X1.5 erupted from geoeffective Active Region 3766 at 02:37 UTC on July 29, 2024. The event started at 02:33 and ended at 02:43 UTC. As a result of recent solar activity, a G3 – Strong geomagnetic storm watch is in effect.
A destructive wildfire continues to engulf parts of Jasper National Park and the adjacent town of Jasper in Alberta, Canada, leading to extensive evacuations and significant structural damage. As of this morning, the fire, which started due to lightning, has destroyed an estimated 30 – 50 % of buildings in the area.
