The Dominican Republic has been recently affected by unprecedented rainfall that President Luis Abinader labeled as the “largest rainfall event ever” in the country's history.  This deluge resulted in devastating floods across multiple areas, leading to extensive damage. At least 24 casualties have been reported as well as significant...

In the second decade of November 2023, heavy rains have caused severe flooding and landslides in Brazil. The states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul have been the worst hit, with at least six casualties and 1,600 people displaced. The Taquari River has overflown, affecting numerous communities, causing road closures, and prompting local...

According to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), 17 November 2023 marked a significant milestone in the history of temperatures on our planet.  As shown in this data visualisation based on the C3S’ ERA5 data, on that day global air temperatures rose over 2°C above pre-industrial levels, reaching a high of 2.07°C above...

In recent days, Bolivia and Brazil have been hit by a series of wildfires that have caused the consequential carbon emissions to exceed the average values recorded between 2003 and 2022 for that period in the region, according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). These fires have been devastating and have caused a severe...

After being impacted by a severe drought, the Horn of Africa is now being hit by devastating floods. At this time of year, the region is often affected by heavy rains which lead to flooding, causing extensive damage to the local infrastructure, homes, agriculture and livelihoods. This year, the El Niño meteorological phenomenon is intensifying...

Mount Etna is an active volcano located in eastern Sicily, Italy.  The third paroxysm of 2023 occurred on 12 November. The lava fountain activity lasted several hours during the night, accompanied by a dense eruptive cloud laden with pyroclastic material (ash and lapilli) which fell in a narrow sector on the eastern slope of the volcano. The...

Due to the fragile and thin ice layer in certain areas of its surface, the Exploradores glacier in Chile's Laguna San Rafael National Park has been temporarily closed to tourists, following an ice fall occurred on 6 October. Drone images gathered by Chilean government hydrologists since 2020 indicate that the glacier has been thinning at a rate...

After several days of heavy rain, several rivers have overflown in the region of Pas-de-Calais, in northern France. The city of Montreuil-sur-Mer area has been affected by severe flooding and more than 120 people have been displaced. In this data visualisation, based on data acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 11...

The island of Madeira is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to the region. Last month, a wildfire broke out in the north-west of the island, burning more than 3,500 hectares of vegetation. This colour-enhanced image of Madeira, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 9 November, shows the...

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has recently released its latest monthly Climate Bulletin, which highlights that October 2023 was the warmest October on record globally. Notably, air temperatures exceeded those of the previous warmest October by a significant 0.85°C.  This data visualisation, based on C3S data, shows the surface air...

The wildfire that has been ravaging the area of Montitxelvo, south of Valencia, in Spain, has been declared under control by the local authorities after burning for 5 days. More than 2,500 hectares have burnt, affecting 5 municipalities, and causing the displacement of at least 950 people.  In this image of 6 November acquired by one of the...

The passage of Storm Ciarán across the Mediterranean Basin triggered a massive Saharan dust transport from the coast of Libya. The intense winds associated with the storm caused the dust particles to be lifted high into the atmosphere, where they were carried across the sea by the prevailing winds. This type of dust transport is a common...

As visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-3 image acquired on 3 November, Western Europe is bracing for another major storm system, called "Domingos", just a few days after the passage of Storm Ciarán. Domingos is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and high waves to several countries, including France, Portugal, Spain, the UK and...

Storm Ciarán proved to be a formidable weather event, one of the most powerful storms to make landfall in Europe in recent memory. This meteorological powerhouse swept across the continent, bringing hurricane-force winds and heavy rain. The storm's impact was felt across a wide swathe of Europe, from the British Isles to mainland Europe. It...

The air quality in India deteriorated at the end of October because of the thick clouds of smoke from the stubble fires that are ongoing in the northwestern States of the country. The New Delhi area is among the worst affected. In the last week of October, the air quality remained 'very poor' for five consecutive days. The Indian Meteorological...

On 25 October, Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in the Mexican state of Guerrero, causing massive flooding, widespread destruction and disrupted communications. Acapulco is the most affected area, with at least 39 casualties reported and extensive damage to the buildings and infrastructures. The Copernicus Emergency Management...

Tropical Cyclone Lola made landfall in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, between 24 and 25 October, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surges across the archipelago. Lola interrupted communications and caused widespread damage to homes and crops in the northern and central provinces of the country. This Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar...

The drought that is affecting Bolivia has fuelled wildfires in the provinces of Cochabamba, La Paz and Santa Cruz. As a result, air quality in some areas has been altered by the smoke. Water shortages have also become a major issue, leading authorities to declare a state of emergency in 165 communities.In this image of the Bolivian provinces of...

 Tej is a severe cyclonic storm ongoing in the Arabian Sea. It is expected to make landfall on 24 October between the cities of Al Ghaidah in Yemen and Salalah in Oman, causing heavy rain and flooding in both countries. This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites on 22 October at 06:19 UTC, shows Tej approaching Oman and...

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 10 October 2023, shows the Moulière forest near Poitiers in France.  This 4,200-hectare forest has become a living mosaic of trees, creating an experiment in climate change adaptation. In this open-air laboratory, scientists are trying to study how forests can absorb the...