Recent Earthquakes and Weather Events

Regional Weather Updates

Two earthquakes, the South Sandwich Islands and Alaska. Both were substantial, with a 6.3 magnitude in the North Pacific. And a 6.2 in the South Atlantic. Together they highlight the seismic activity in both poles. The quakes struck 12 hours apart, the greatest distance between two significant seismic events in recent memory. Not everybody felt the quakes. It's uncommon for tremors to trigger tsunamis. The primary reason for alarm might be the South Sandwich Islands’ remoteness. But there’s always the remote possibility of a tsunami. And the quake near Alaska is a reminder that the state is prone to seismic activity. Authorities declared no tsunami threat, but remained vigilant. Though no tsunami resulted, aftershocks can still occur up to 48 hours. And these second waves can still be dangerous. Beyond earthquakes, several other notable weather events unfolded. Severe storms lashed Toronto. And southern Ontario experienced torrential rain, flooding, and power outages. Torontonians aren't new to power outages. But the precedent for this summer’s rain is still very much a work-in-progress. Shades of 2008—with the significant rainfall—and January of 2022—with its extensive flurries—have been cited by meteorologists.

Typhoon Saudel

Typhoon Saudel is currently raging across southeastern China. Winds up to 50 mph and heavy rain have been recorded in Guangdong, Macao, and Hong Kong provinces. Saudel is expected to intensify. Though the storm currently hasn’t made landfall, it will likely impact an area with 151 million residents. This will likely draw attention to China’s flood defenses, which have been put to the test this past century.

Climate Change and Heat Patterns

Scientists are in agreement that heat patterns are shifting. Capitalizing on the recent El Niño event, which occurs every 2-7 years. This will likely lead to shifts in weather patterns. The World Meteorological Organization has warned that an El Niño is brewing in the Pacific. A strengthening El Niño can reshape heat and rainfall patterns across the globe. In every El Niño since 1950, seven spots have seen seasonably higher temperatures. Another seven points saw their temperatures decrease. These shifts may be exasperating peat fires in Indonesia. NASA imagery shows smoke and smog. By burning biomass, the fires are emitting gases and smoke. In Indonesia, the fires are likely fuelled by drought. The fires will become more frequent as temperatures rise. However, a reduction in agricultural burning may help to mitigate the issue.

What’s Happening Beyond Earth

On Saturn, a strange phenomenon occurred. The Hubble Telescope saw a ten-sided hexagon that is still evolving. It's the southern pole of Saturn. It's a unique, light-colored vortex. The thing with it is that it can't be explained by gas motions. Saturn's hexagon remains something strange that scientists don’t fully understand. But they do know that it’s unlike the weather systems on Earth.