The largest outbreak of Saharan dust this summer is currently making its way across the Atlantic Ocean, potentially impacting air quality and weather patterns throughout the Caribbean and parts of the United States. This marks a significant shift in the season’s weather patterns, influenced by the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), which is known for its ability to suppress tropical cyclone formation.
On June 23, 2024, Europe experienced an unexpected outbreak of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) despite high solar activity, which typically inhibits NLC formation. Earth-orbiting satellites also detected the display, noting NLCs down to a latitude of 55° N over the British Isles.
The third large wave of Saharan dust in just two weeks is moving over Europe, significantly increasing PM10 concentrations at ground level for the Iberian Peninsula, and some parts of France and Germany.
The volcanic eruption that started in Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland on March 16, 2024, continues at a fairly constant rate, marking the most substantial activity in the region with four registered eruptions since December 2023. This event has caught the attention of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) due to the large volumes of sulfur dioxide (SO2) released into the atmosphere.
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.
NASA’s MERRA-2 climate model reveals that the Arctic stratosphere has reached a 40-year record low for December, creating a sudden appearance of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) far beyond their usual Arctic confines.
An early outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds, known for their intense iridescence, was reported over parts of northern Europe on December 17, 2023.
On November 5, 2023, observers across the globe were treated to a striking light show, courtesy of a G3 – Strong geomagnetic storm. This solar event was powerful enough to push the typically high-latitude auroras into lower latitudes, with sightings as far south as Texas and Arizona in the United States, as well as in European countries like Italy and Greece. Sightings were also reported in Australia and New Zealand.
On September 16, 2023, a significantly large ozone hole stretched over Antarctica, covering an area of 26 million km3 (10.04 million mi3), prompting a deeper look into the possible causes. The fluctuating size of the ozone hole is a yearly phenomenon, with a notable increase from August to October, and a decrease as temperatures in the southern hemisphere’s stratosphere rise towards the year’s end.
Ahead of a deadly magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Eastern Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains on September 8, 2023, unexplained lights were reported in the sky. While the phenomenon has historical roots and recent accounts, its authenticity and cause remain subjects of debate.
