• Extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane “Otis” makes unexpected landfall near Acapulco, Mexico — at least 46 fatalities, 58 missing

    Tropical Storm “Otis” explosively intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in just 12 hours and continued intensifying on its way toward Mexico where it made landfall at 06:25 UTC on October 25, 2023, as a Category 5 hurricane. This is now one of the fastest-intensifying hurricanes in the world’s history.

  • October snow in Fairbanks almost doubles the seasonal average for this time of year

    On October 22, 2023, Fairbanks, Alaska experienced an uncommon surge in snowfall, with the National Weather Service (NWS) Fairbanks office recording 8.9 cm (3.5 inches) of snow on that day alone. The snow depth in the region has reached 22.9 cm (9 inches), pushing the seasonal total to a remarkable 36.3 cm (14.3 inches), which is nearly double the usual amount for this time of year.

  • Typhoon “Koinu” hits Taiwan with record-breaking winds

    Typhoon “Koinu” made landfall in Cape Eluanbi, southern Taiwan, on October 4, 2023, breaking wind speed records and injuring 190 people. Despite the high winds and significant rainfall, no deaths have been reported.

  • Japan experiences hottest September on record

    Japan experienced its warmest September on record in 2023, with a national monthly temperature that was 2.66 °C (4.79 °F) higher than the standard. The record-breaking temperatures were particularly pronounced in the eastern and western regions of the country.