Portugal continues to grapple with devastating wildfires. On 5 August, a blaze erupted near Odemira, in the Alentejo region, prompting a massive response with more than 800 firefighters and 202 vehicles to control the flames. The severity of the fire resulted in the evacuation of four communities in Odemira (Vale dos Alhos, Vale de Água, Choça...

Slovenia is reeling from the worst-ever natural disaster in its history. Devastating floods struck the country in early August 2023, resulting in at least four casualties and widespread damage estimated at over half a billion euro. The floods caused multiple bridges to collapse and significantly impacted road and energy infrastructure. This...

On the afternoon of 4 August 2023, a devastating wildfire started in Castelo Branco (#IRCasteloBranco), Portugal, rapidly engulfing more than 6,000 hectares of vegetation.   Over 1,100 firefighters and 14 water-carrying aircraft are tirelessly responding to the emergency. However, according to the local Civil Protection Authorities, the...

The Jamapa glacier is located on Pico de Orizaba a.k.a Citlaltépetl, a volcano and the highest mountain in Mexico. The retreat of the glacier in recent years has led to increased exposure of the bedrock, leading to rapid melting and rapid loss of snow accumulation. The glacier is one of the most important water resources supplying water to the...

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites on 3 August 2023, shows a large phytoplankton bloom north of the Scandinavian Peninsula, spanning over 200,000 km². Phytoplankton consists of microscopic plant-like organisms that float in seas and oceans, which play a vital role in the marine ecosystem. In the Barents Sea, an...

Typhoon Khanun is the sixth typhoon of the season in the Pacific and has been classified as being of "very strong" intensity. The extreme weather event caused the suspension of flights from the city of Naha, knocking out power for more than 200,000 people and causing the evacuation of 600,000 residents. The Okinawa archipelago remains on a...

Residents of the town of Osoyoos and the Okanagan-Similkameen regional district in Canada have been evacuated over the weekend after a wildfire crossed the US-Canadian border. The fire originated on Saturday southwest of Oroville, Washington State, advancing towards the Canadian town of Osoyoos in British Columbia and an immediate evacuation of...

This image, captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 25 July 2023, shows the Bolonia Dune, a Spanish Natural Monument since 2001, located along the scenic Atlantic coastline between Tarifa and Cadiz.  The distinctive 30-meter-high dune has been shaped by the prevailing southeast-northwest winds and marine currents. Over the...

Months into the crisis, wildfires continue to rage furiously in Canada. As of the end of July 2023, fires had erupted along the border between the USA and the Canadian territory of British Columbia, forcing hundreds of evacuations. This image, captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 29 July, reveals wildfires reaching the...

On 26 July 2023, one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites captured a seasonal phytoplankton bloom off the west coast of the Svalbard Archipelago, in the Arctic Ocean. Phytoplankton blooms are an explosion of microscopic plant-like organisms that thrive in nutrient-rich waters. These blooms play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, serving as...

In late July 2023, Greenland was affected by a significant episode of snow and ice melting, driven by the ongoing record-breaking heatwave in North America. The soaring temperatures resulted in intensified snow and ice melt on the southern part of the island. This image, acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 22 July, showcases the...

In recent months, shipping traffic in the Panama Canal has been impacted by a unusually long dry season. The Panama Canal Authority has implemented water management measures and the number of crossings has been limited to 32 vessels a day with reductions in the cargo load a ship is allowed to carry. Images acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-1A...

  The record-breaking temperatures that hit Europe in July are contributing to an increase in the surface temperature of the Mediterranean Sea.  This visualisation, based on Copernicus Marine Service models , shows the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomaly for 24 July 2023. The data show an anomaly of up to +5.5°C along the coasts of Italy,...

The ongoing wildfire crisis in Greece continues unabated. This image, acquired by a Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite on 25 July 2023, shows the latest major wildfire episode in Corfu, Greece, that broke out on 23 July. 2,500 tourists and residents from nearby villages have been evacuated as firefighters continue to battle the fire, which is not...

The Mediterranean region is enduring a severe heatwave, resulting in a series of extreme weather events that have left behind a trail of devastation. On 24 July, temperatures reached unprecedented heights, breaking records in multiple cities. In Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, the air temperature soared to a sweltering 49°C, while in Palermo,...

A massive fire is devastating the island of Rhodes in Greece. Over 19,000 people have been evacuated as the fire threatened homes and resorts. European and international assistance has been mobilised to support Greece in its fight against  the wildfires. As for the recent blaze in Attica, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated,...

Massive T°  contrasts were recorded n South America in July 2023. On 16 July, the air temperature reached+39°C in Brazil and -22°C in Patagonia.  On the same day, One of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites captured this cloud-free view of one of the Andean lakes where the low T° were recorded. 

3 months after the beginning of the crisis, (at least) 880 wildfires continue to affect Canada. 9.7 million hectares have burned (an area larger than Portugal). Smoke continues to engulf the skies of North America, as shown in this  Copernicus Sentinel-3 image acquired on 20 July

Exceptional high air temperatures have been recorded in southern Europe in July 2023.  18 July was the hottest day on record in Catalunya, with a searing 45.3°C and in Roma (shown in this image acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite acquired on the same day), with 42.9°C.

Multiple wildfires are currently ravaging Greece, resulting in substantial damage and necessitating the evacuation of residents.  This image, captured on the 19 July by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, reveals the burn scar and smoke plume produced by the ongoing Dervenochoria wildfire in western Attica. In response to the...