On 23 September 2024, Hurricane John, a Category 3 storm, made landfall on Mexico’s southern coast, bringing winds of 190 kilometres per hour. By 24 September, the hurricane had weakened to a tropical depression with winds of 55 kilometres per hour. In its wake, John left behind damaged infrastructure and power outages. At least three people...

Crime scenes are not always confined to dark alleyways and abandoned warehouses—sometimes they are hidden in plain sight. Environmental crimes are illegal activities which directly harm the environment, often resulting in significant damage to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. 

During the night of 22 September 2024, the air temperature in the town of Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland reached a record high of 15.3°C. This was the hottest September night in the area's recorded history and one of the highest minimum temperatures ever recorded in Greenland.  High temperatures continued throughout the following days....

On 21 September 2024, unusually heavy snowfall affected parts of southern Africa, with some areas in Lesotho and South Africa receiving up to two metres of snow. Authorities in South Africa issued warnings about the snowfall and potential for black ice, and three border posts with Lesotho have been closed due to dangerous conditions. The snow...

Storm Boris, the powerful weather system which swept across central and eastern Europe at the beginning of September 2024, has caused severe flooding in Italy, particularly in the Emilia-Romagna Region.  This area, already devastated by a major flood in May 2023, is once again facing the consequences of the intense rainfall which occurred...

23-26 September 2024 at ESA-ESRIN in Frascati, Italy

In September 2024, the lower South Island of New Zealand received heavy rain and snowfall, causing widespread disruptions. Power outages, school closures, and road blockages were reported across the region, with authorities issuing warnings for significant snow and rain.  Despite the challenges, the fresh snow brought joy to skiers in...

Since the start of September 2024, hundreds of firefighters have been battling two large wildfires in San Gabriel Canyon, spanning both Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in California, USA. The "Bridge Fire" has burned over 22,100 hectares and injured four people. Authorities have ordered evacuations for some residents, as the blaze has...

In late August 2024, northeastern Nigeria was struck by intense rainfall, leading to severe flooding. The city of Maiduguri in Borno State was particularly affected when the Alau Dam, situated 20 kilometres south on the Ngadda River, collapsed on 10 September. This disaster has impacted over one million people, with many losing their homes and...

Starting on 11 September 2024, Central and Eastern Europe has been battered by Storm Boris, which brought up to five times the average monthly rainfall for September in just a few days. Seven people died in Poland, seven in Romania, five in Austria and four in the Czech Republic, officials said on Wednesday, with several missing and hundreds of...

Since 14 September 2024, severe wildfires have been ravaging northern and central Portugal. The fires have affected over 10,000 hectares between Porto and Aveiro, and more than 5,000 firefighters are mobilised to battle the flames. Local authorities have issued warnings as the wildfire risk remains high, with the threat expected to persist...

Historical information is crucial for investigating the trends and magnitude of climate change. To comprehend what is happening to our planet, we need high-quality, consistent data from as many locations as possible, reaching back as far as records allow. That's why data rescue—recovering and digitising old meteorological records—is so...

Already on 13 September 2024, one week after its launch, the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite began delivering images of our planet.One of its first images shows Lighthouse Reef, an atoll of the Belize Barrier Reef in the Caribbean Sea. Home to the Great Blue Hole, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lighthouse Reef is a popular destination for...

Poster about expected outcomes and products from the action including maps and timeseries of simulated soil moisture using Copernicus reanalysis data.

A low-pressure system named Boris brought heavy rain to central Europe between 11 and 15 September, causing widespread flooding from Poland to Romania and at least seven casualties. In Romania, more than 5,000 homes have been evacuated due to severe flooding, with roads in eight provinces blocked or severely affected. In the Czech Republic, 38...

In the eastern Netherlands, the city of Enschede, visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 20 July 2024, was once the site of a booming textile industry. The extensive use of groundwater for industrial operations depleted many of the area's natural water sources, allowing infrastructure to be built on the newly dry land. Since...

This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 10 August 2024 shows the Stubacher Sonnblickkees glacier in the federal state of Salzburg in Austria.  Situated at an altitude of 2,700 metres, the glacier has undergone considerable losses in size and mass due to high temperatures. In the last 25 years, it has lost 45 million cubic metres of ice,...

On 10 September 2024, the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland, fell to a historic low. The record follows days of hydrological drought in the country, an unusual event for early September, when the rainy period typically begins. Rivers across the country are facing similar conditions, with 73% of national hydrological stations reporting unusually...

This Copernicus Sentinel-3 image, acquired on 11 September 2024, shows a cold front approaching the coasts of France, Belgium and the Netherlands.  Driven by an unusual weather system over Scandinavia and accompanied by cold Arctic air, the front is moving south across Europe, bringing strong winds, a sharp drop in temperatures and early snow...