In the past year, New York has experienced a series of extreme weather events that have left a lasting impact on 2024. Hurricanes like Milton, Helene, Debby, and Beryl, along with other natural disasters, have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. In addition to hurricanes, there have been severe flooding, wildfires, intense heat waves, and even some unusual occurrences making headlines.
Here are the top 10 weather stories of the year as reported on FOX Weather and foxweather.com:
Hurricane Milton struck near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 3 storm on October 9, eventually weakening but still causing significant damage across east central Florida. The storm spawned tornadoes, downed trees and power lines, and led to localized flooding, resulting in at least 17 deaths.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on September 26, bringing unprecedented rainfall that caused catastrophic flooding in the region. The storm dissipated after moving through Georgia and the Southern Appalachians, with a confirmed death toll of 230 across seven states.
Hurricane Debby, originating as a tropical depression near Cuba, hit Florida on August 5, bringing severe flooding to Manatee and Sarasota counties. The storm claimed at least 8 lives.
Hurricane Beryl, a strong and long-lasting storm, formed in the Atlantic on June 28, making landfall in Grenada and Jamaica before hitting the Yucatán Peninsula and Texas. It caused extensive damage in the Houston metro area.
Massive solar flares on May 10 created stunning displays of Northern Lights across the U.S., with colorful skies reported as far south as the Gulf Coast. This geomagnetic storm reached level 5 on NOAA’s scale, the first to do so since 2003.
On April 8, a total solar eclipse passed through more than a dozen states in the U.S., captivating viewers across the country.
An astronomical spectacle captivated residents across nearly a dozen states in the early hours of Aug. 30, when a blazing fireball streaked across the sky, leaving a sonic boom in its wake. People from various regions reported witnessing the event, with over 150 accounts received by the American Meteor Society confirming both the visual and auditory impact of the phenomenon. NASA later confirmed the occurrence as a “very bright” fireball, a rare event that captured the attention of many observers.
The trajectory of the fireball was traced back to an initial point approximately 45 miles above Piney Flats, Tennessee. From there, it swiftly traversed south and eastward at a remarkable velocity of 31,300 miles per hour, leaving a lasting impression on those fortunate enough to witness its luminous passage through the night sky.
In a disheartening incident of environmental disregard, a Cheetos snack bag was discovered abandoned in a cave within New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Authorities swiftly condemned the act of littering, emphasizing the detrimental impact such actions can have on the delicate underground ecosystem present within the park. The Big Room, the expansive cave chamber renowned for its significant volume, was the unfortunate site where the snack bag was carelessly discarded, providing an unwitting breeding ground for fungi and microbial life due to the snack’s composition and the cave’s humid environment. Park officials underscored the critical importance of preserving the cave’s ecosystem, noting that seemingly insignificant actions can have profound consequences for the intricate balance of life within.
A wildlife encounter turned perilous at Yellowstone National Park when an 83-year-old woman was gored by a bison on June 1. The victim, hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, was swiftly attended to by park emergency responders before being transferred to a nearby medical facility and subsequently airlifted to an Idaho hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The incident was attributed to the woman inadvertently encroaching upon the bison’s territory, prompting a defensive reaction from the animal that resulted in her being lifted off the ground by its horns. The National Park Service issued a statement highlighting the importance of respecting wildlife boundaries to prevent such encounters and ensure visitor safety within the park.
In a case of mistaken identity that garnered attention for its unexpected twist, a concerned animal lover in England rescued what she believed to be an injured baby hedgehog found on the roadside. The woman’s compassionate act led her to transport the creature to the Lower Moss Wood Educational Nature Reserve & Wildlife Hospital in Knutsford, believing she was aiding a vulnerable animal in need. However, upon closer examination by the hospital manager, it was revealed that the supposed hedgehog was, in fact, a fluffy hat bobble, prompting a humorous yet enlightening moment of realization. Despite the misidentification, the hospital manager commended the woman for her compassion and swift action, underscoring the importance of wildlife welfare and responsible intervention in genuine animal rescue situations.
In celestial events of a different nature, the anticipation
