Since 2017, the Antarctic sea ice extent has consistently been below the average value of the 1981-2010 reference period. In February 2023, this trend reached a new negative milestone. According to Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) data, the Antarctic sea ice extent reached the lowest level ever recorded, standing at 34% below the...

South America is currently confronted with a severe heatwave. On 11 March, Buenos Aires in Argentina recorded its highest-ever temperature for March at 38.6°C, while Mercedes in Uruguay saw the temperature soar to a record value of 40.5°C. On the same day, the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite measured the Land Surface Temperature, which reached...

Temperatures above reference average values continue to be recorded in Europe. According to the latest climate bulletin published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), February 2023 has been the fifth warmest February globally. Air temperatures were above average for most of Europe, with anomalies reaching +8ºC peaks in the Arctic...

This image, acquired on 2 March 2023 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, shows a snow-covered Yosemite National Park in California. After a series of winter storms, California officials reported that the State’s snowpack is the largest in decades.  The current snow accumulation stands at 177% of the norm at this time of the year....

At the end of February, tropical cyclone Freddy caused significant damage and population displacements in Madagascar and Mozambique, with at least 21 casualties. After more than two weeks, its cyclonic activity has not stopped. As shown in this image acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites, on 7 March, Freddy was approaching...

The western Alps continue to be affected by low levels of snowfall, now reaching the lowest levels on record in several areas.  This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites on 5 March 2023, shows the scarcity of snow cover in the Italian and Swiss part of the Alps. In this area, the daily  Snow Water Equivalent evaluated...

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 4 March 2023, shows the capital of Greenland, Nuuk. An intense heatwave is ongoing in this region of the island, with air temperatures more than 20 degrees above the historical average for this time of year. On the same day that this image was acquired, the temperature in...

Since January, several forest fires have been affecting Cuba. Over 2,000 ha have burnt in the eastern Provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Holguín

Öskjuvatn is a volcanic lake in central Iceland. The layer of ice covering the lake's waters is melting as a result of the increased geothermal activity of the Askja volcano. Images acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on  8, 17 and 28 February 2023. 

France is currently facing a severe drought, with the south-eastern region experiencing the driest February since 1959. The Lac de Montbel reservoir, which feeds the important Canal du Midi and whose waters are used to irrigate crops in the adjacent agricultural areas, is currently at less than 30% of its capacity. Agriculture and tourism in...

In the past few days, the southwest of Ireland has been affected by a series of wildfires, which have spread rapidly due to the dry weather conditions and strong winds. They have impacted several areas, causing widespread concern among the local communities, although no damage to property or infrastructure has been reported.  According to data...

This image, acquired on 28 February 2023 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites, shows Storm Juliette sweeping across the island of Mallorca. An alert has been issued for the island, warning of possible 8-metre waves and heavy snowfall, with temperatures dropping as low as -2°C. Experts have also warned that snowfall of up to 40cm could...

On 19 February 2023, disastrous floods hit the state of São Paulo in Brazil, causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of 57 people. The heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in coastal towns of the country’s richest state, causing extensive damage to housing and infrastructure. More than 4,000 people were forced to evacuate...

This image, acquired on 26 February 2023 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites, shows dust engulfing the skies over Southern Italy, Malta, and part of Greece. Over the past two weeks, multiple Saharan dust storm episodes have deteriorated air quality in Southern Europe. These dust storms are harmful to human health, causing many...

Severe weather conditions recently hit Morocco, causing snow cover to reach up to 1.7 metres in some areas of the Ouarzazate province. The heavy snowfall significantly affected the local population, and 9,000 families will benefit from emergency humanitarian aid, consisting mainly of food and blankets. This extreme weather has also had a...

A Saharan dust storm is currently in motion and heading towards central and eastern Europe. On 21 February, it was captured by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites south of the Iberian Peninsula. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service has accurately forecasted the movement and density of dust transport and evaluated the levels of...

Coastal erosion is rapidly changing the French coastline, particularly in areas along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 12 February, shows the area of Soulac-sur-Mer, located at the northernmost tip of the Gironde estuary. In this area, beaches are receding at a rate of 2.5...

February marks the peak of summer in Antarctica, providing the opportunity to observe unusual phenomena affecting the continent's ice. On 16 February, one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites captured a rare image of green-tinged sea ice due to a phytoplankton bloom in the Ross Sea. In 2017, the same phenomenon of green ice was observed in...

On 19 February at 05:00 UTC, one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites acquired this image of Freddy, a very intense tropical cyclone currently active in the Indian Ocean. The storm is expected to approach Mauritius Island and La Réunion on 20 February before hitting the coast of Madagascar on 21 February, bringing along strong winds, heavy...

Bushfires are affecting the Western Downs region of Queensland, Australia. These fires have burnt more than 7,400 hectares of vegetation, causing significant damage. On 16 February, one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites captured a pyrocumulus cloud produced by a fire ongoing near Pelham. This type of cloud develops as a result of the...