Summary of Climate Disasters on the Planet: November 27 – December 3, 2024

The natural disasters shaking our planet are becoming increasingly extreme. Many scientists attribute them to global warming.

But what if we are missing something far more dangerous? In our previous article, we mentioned a mysterious “Factor X” that has long been overlooked in modern climate models.

Today, we’ll reveal what lies behind it and its role in the escalating climate crisis.

United States

Starting on November 29, a powerful multi-day blizzard swept through the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States, hitting Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and New York the hardest.

Arctic air colliding with the abnormally warm waters of the Great Lakes triggered record-breaking snowfall. This phenomenon, known as lake-effect snow, periodically occurs in the region during winter.

Snowfall caused by cold air passing over the unfrozen waters of the Great Lakes is referred to as lake-effect snow.

This time, however, the snowfall was exceptionally intense. In some areas, snow fell at a rate of up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) per hour.

On November 29, the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, set a new one-day snowfall record receiving 57 centimeters (22.4 inches).

Meanwhile, in the town of Barnes Corners, New York, a staggering 167 centimeters (65.7 inches) of snow fell over three days, from November 30 to December 2.

Zero visibility and snowdrifts made travel across the region impossible. Major interstates I-90, I-89, and I-86 were closed.

The situation was further complicated by the fact that this “snow apocalypse” struck during the busy post-Thanksgiving travel weekend, as millions of people tried to make their way back home.

Record-breaking snowstorm in the Northeast and Midwest United States

The National Guard was mobilized to assist drivers stranded in dangerous conditions.

A state of emergency was declared near Lakes Erie and Ontario. 

The storm surprised not only with its unusually powerful snowfall. It was also accompanied by thunderstorms and waterspouts — phenomena that are exceedingly rare during the cold season. The combination of record-warm lake waters and strong atmospheric instability made these events possible.

Arctic air also brought unprecedented cold to much of the U.S., reaching as far south as Florida.

Over 13 million people across nine southern states faced freezing conditions.

Canada

Powerful snowstorms also struck Ontario, Canada, causing transportation disruptions, heavy drifts, and power outages. In the town of Gravenhurst, approximately 140 centimetres (55 inches) of snow fell over the weekend. The town’s mayor described the event as unprecedented in her 27 years of living there.

Aftermath of a powerful snowstorm in Ontario, Canada

Nearly 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the critical Highway 11 were closed for over 50 hours.

Efforts to clear the snow were complicated by downed power lines, fallen trees, and abandoned vehicles.

India

On November 30, Tropical Cyclone Fengal, which formed on November 29 in the Bay of Bengal, struck southern India, making landfall near Puducherry (a union territory of India) with winds reaching up to 90 km (56 miles) per hour.

The cyclone remained nearly stationary for 12 hours, unleashing a massive amount of rainfall during this time.

Punducherry recorded 460 mm (18.1 inches) of rain, which is more than double the previous record of 210 mm (8.3 inches) set on October 31, 2004.

Many villages were submerged, leaving residents trapped in their homes for hours. The army was deployed to assist with evacuations. Torrential rains flooded roads, severely impacting agriculture. Local residents reported not seeing a disaster of this magnitude in at least 30 years.

The neighboring state of Tamil Nadu also suffered significant losses due to the storm. In Villupuram district, catastrophic 24-hour rainfall of 490 mm (19.3 inches) caused widespread flooding and landslides. Thousands were evacuated to emergency shelters, while a landslide in Tiruvannamalai trapped seven people under debris.

In Chennai, three people lost their lives due to the storm. Continuous rainfall disrupted public transportation, including buses and trains. The airport was closed as runways were flooded, leading to the cancellation of 55 flights.

The tropical cyclone also caused severe damage in Sri Lanka, where the disaster claimed the lives of at least 17 people.

Malaysia and Thailand

Heavy rains brought by the northeast monsoon battered western Malaysia and southern Thailand.

People evacuating flooded areas where water levels reached rooftops, Thailand

The Golok River, which serves as a natural border between the two countries, reached a record level of 11.62 meters (38.1 feet), breaking its 1997 record. This caused flooding across seven Malaysian states.

In the state of Kelantan, the rains severely damaged infrastructure. Major roads were submerged, homes and businesses were affected. A well-known floating restaurant was swept away by the swollen river. Two people were killed after receiving electric shocks, leading to the shutdown of 17 power sub-stations.

As of December 3, flooding in Malaysia had claimed at least seven lives. A total of 144,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas.

In southern Thailand, thousands of homes were flooded, with water levels in some areas reaching rooftops. The provinces of Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat were particularly hard hit. Authorities organized mass evacuations. More than 136,000 households were affected by the floods.

Flooding is common during the monsoon season, which lasts from November to March. However, this year, the floods have been particularly catastrophic. In Malaysia, current river levels exceeded those of the 2014 flood, one of the most devastating in decades.

United Kingdom

On December 1, a large sinkhole measuring more than 5 meters (16 feet) wide and up to 12 meters (39 feet) deep opened up in Merthyr Tydfil County, Wales.

Sinkhole in Merthyr Tydfil County, Wales, England

Local residents reported hearing a loud rumble as large sections of the ground collapsed.

One resident expressed fear that their home might also collapse, adding that they had never seen anything like it in their life.

Due to safety concerns, 30 homes were evacuated, and authorities urged people to avoid the area.

Greece 

On November 30, Storm Bora hit Greece, bringing heavy rains, gale-force winds, and snowfall.

On the island of Rhodes, over 195 mm (7.7 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours in some areas, causing flash floods.

The governor of the South Aegean region described the situation as “devastating and deeply shocking,” noting that such rainfall levels had never been recorded in the area before. 

Floodwaters damaged roads, making many of them impassable. Authorities evacuated dozens of residents and closed schools.

In the popular resort town of Faliraki, the storm destroyed a bridge, damaged homes and shops, and caused deep cracks in the ground.

On the island of Lemnos, the flooding caused significant damage to agricultural lands vital to the region's economy. Roads, water supply systems, and electrical infrastructure were damaged, homes were submerged.

The storm also affected mainland Greece. In Central Macedonia, torrential rains left roads covered with rocks and mud.

Flooded homes and damaged infrastructure in Greek cities after Storm Bora

In Thessaloniki, fallen trees damaged buildings and vehicles. A cargo ship moored in the port broke free due to strong winds, leading to a collision with another cargo vessel and damaging both vessels.

In the northern regions of Florina and Kastoria, heavy snowfall made roads nearly impassable, requiring chains on some routes. Mountainous areas experienced power outages, while temperatures dropped to an unusually low +2°C (36°F).

The storm claimed three lives across the country.

“Storm Bora constitutes additional proof that what we knew about natural phenomena is no longer valid,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told reporters.

Uganda

On November 27, after hours of heavy rain, a massive landslide occurred in Bulambuli District, Uganda. It swept through five villages, covering an area of about 20 hectares (49 acres). At least 45 homes were completely buried under soil and rocks, with another 125 partially damaged.

Rescue efforts using makeshift tools after a massive landslide in Uganda

The landslide claimed at least 28 lives, with over 100 people reported missing. Medical workers and rescuers with heavy machinery could not reach the disaster site as the overflowing Simi River washed away a bridge and blocked access roads. Rescue efforts had to rely solely on makeshift tools like sticks, shovels, and hoes, significantly reducing the chances of saving those trapped under the debris.

Approximately 1,000 people were evacuated.

Bolivia

Heavy rains are wreaking havoc in Bolivia, with the death toll rising daily. As of December 3, 11 people had died, 300 families were affected, and 117 homes were damaged.

On November 29, the city of La Paz experienced a climate disaster as heavy rain caused the Pasahahuira River to overflow. Residents, still recovering from flooding just a week earlier, found themselves in danger once again. Protective structures gave way, unleashing torrents of water that swept away everything in their path.

Water sweeps away everything in its path during the La Paz flood in Bolivia

Residents were transported across flooded roads using excavators. According to municipal authorities’ estimates, restoring the affected area will take at least two months.

On December 2, heavy rains in the Cochabamba Department flooded settlements. In the city of Quillacollo, a river swept away an elderly woman.

At dawn on December 1, in Avispas community, Villa Tunari municipality, Chapare Province, a landslide buried two homes with sleeping residents, claiming lives of four people, including two children.

Brazil

On December 1, powerful storms hit the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, affecting 35 municipalities and leaving more than 3 million residents without electricity.

Wind speeds in the municipality of Cacapava do Sul reached 102 kilometers (63 miles) per hour.

In the city of Carazinho, at least 50 homes were damaged by strong winds.

Aftermath of storm winds in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The storms also impacted industrial facilities. A building belonging to a solar panel manufacturing company was partially destroyed, injuring 100 people.

A particularly severe incident occurred in Arroio do Tigre, where the roof of a pavilion in a city amusement park collapsed. Dozens of people were injured and required medical assistance.

In Porto Alegre, the state capital, heavy rains flooded the bus terminal, which had already been damaged during a flood in May this year.

In the municipality of São Lourenço do Sul, hailstones the size of chicken eggs destroyed tobacco crops, causing significant losses to local farmers.

The storms were accompanied by an astounding number of lightning strikes, with 234,000 strikes recorded in just one day.

Record number of lightning strikes — 234,000 in 24 hours — in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Unusually heavy rainfall, severe storms, hurricanes, and intensified winds are all being linked to the record warming of the ocean and atmosphere in recent years. Scientists have discovered that the deep layers of the ocean are warming dozens of times faster than the upper layers, which requires an enormous amount of energy. But where is this heat at the ocean floor coming from?

According to NASA's chief climatologist, an unidentified factor is amplifying planetary heating beyond current climate model predictions.

One hypothesis suggests that geological processes significantly influence the climate system. The ocean floor hosts more than 10 million geological formations, including underwater volcanoes, faults, and hydrothermal vents, and their activity has noticeably increased. A similar pattern is observed on the Earth's surface: increased volcanic activity, unusual eruptions occurring without precursors, and a rising number of earthquakes near volcanoes and supervolcanoes signal growing unrest within the Earth's interior.

It is this magmatic activity, accompanied by the ascent of increasingly hot and fluid magma, that is the driving force behind the mysterious “Factor X,” which causes heating of the ocean from below and intensifies climate disasters.

If the ocean loses its ability to dissipate excess heat from the Earth's interior, the scale of natural disasters could escalate to a critical level, posing a severe threat to life on Earth.

However, a solution to this problem already exists, and this is atmospheric water generators. Currently, they are used only to generate fresh water in certain countries, but their global adoption will allow to clean the world oceans from plastic, restoring its thermal conductivity. Thus, the ocean will be able to work again as a “natural air conditioner” of our planet. As a result, it will reduce atmospheric temperature and humidity, and in 2-3 years, stabilize the climate on the planet.

In the meantime, scientists will be able to find a solution to eliminate the root cause of heating of the planet's interior.

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