← Back to the summary for 22 Oct
The detail behind the day
Tropical Cyclone CHAMPI-26 is a major storm.
Earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more
Strongest first. Magnitude is a log scale: each whole step is about 32 times more energy. Depth is how far below the surface the quake began; shallow ones shake the ground harder.
| Time (UTC) | Magnitude | Depth | Where | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:33 | 7.0 | 18 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 15:12 | 5.2 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 20:05 | 5.0 | 10 km | near Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea |
| 18:06 | 5.0 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 19:06 | 4.9 | 23 km | near Hihifo, Tonga | Tonga |
| 16:21 | 4.9 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 15:45 | 4.9 | 10 km | western Xizang | China |
| 12:22 | 4.9 | 10 km | near Port-Olry, Vanuatu | Vanuatu |
| 10:57 | 4.9 | 135 km | near Curup, Indonesia | Indonesia |
| 21:09 | 4.8 | 50 km | near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | Russia |
| 17:21 | 4.8 | 76 km | near Shikotan, Russia | Russia |
| 16:51 | 4.8 | 35 km | near ‘Ohonua, Tonga | Tonga |
| 07:49 | 4.8 | 10 km | Balleny Islands region | Open ocean |
| 05:23 | 4.8 | 57 km | near Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea |
| 04:44 | 4.8 | 10 km | Reykjanes Ridge | Open ocean |
| 16:57 | 4.7 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 15:27 | 4.7 | 10 km | near Kashgar, China | China |
| 21:37 | 4.6 | 142 km | near Ollagüe, Chile | Chile |
| 16:45 | 4.6 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 10:07 | 4.6 | 175 km | near Ashkāsham, Afghanistan | Afghanistan |
| 08:06 | 4.6 | 99 km | near Yigo Village, Guam | Guam |
| 03:35 | 4.6 | 49 km | near El Palmarcito, Mexico | Mexico |
| 16:50 | 4.5 | 10 km | near Nagqu, China | China |
| 08:34 | 4.5 | 61 km | near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | Russia |
Where most of them struck
2 more happened out at sea, away from any country’s borders.
Counting smaller ones too, 46 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more were logged worldwide. How many small quakes are recorded depends on how many seismometers are nearby, so this number is not compared with other years.
Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Magnitudes and places can be revised by USGS for weeks after an event.
Tropical storms and cyclones
| Alert | Storm | Reported intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Tropical Cyclone CHAMPI-26 (Philippines, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Japan) GDACS report | Hurricane/Typhoon > 74 mph (maximum wind speed of 296 km/h) |
| NASA tracker | Hurricane Trudy | 30 kts |
| NASA tracker | Tropical Cyclone Agueda | 50 kts |
| Green | Tropical Cyclone JOSEPHINE-26 (United States, Canada, Saint Pierre and Miquelon) GDACS report | Tropical Storm (maximum wind speed of 120 km/h) |
| Green | Tropical Cyclone VANCE-26 (México) GDACS report | Tropical Storm (maximum wind speed of 194 km/h) |
| NASA tracker | Tropical Cyclone Wati | 45 kts |
The alert colour reflects the likely effect on people, not just wind speed. Red is the highest; green is a storm with little expected impact.
Sources: Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) and NASA EONET.
Volcanoes
| Alert | Volcano |
|---|---|
| Orange | Great Sitkin: alert level watch Official notice |
| Yellow | Ahyi Seamount: alert level advisory Official notice |
| Yellow | Kilauea: alert level advisory Official notice |
| Yellow | Shishaldin: alert level advisory Official notice |
32 more volcanoes on NASA’s activity tracker
| Alert | Volcano |
|---|---|
| NASA tracker | Aira Volcano, Japan |
| NASA tracker | Ambae Volcano, Vanuatu |
| NASA tracker | Bezymianny Volcano, Russia |
| NASA tracker | Dukono Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Fuego Volcano, Guatemala |
| NASA tracker | Ibu Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Ivao Group Volcano, Russia |
| NASA tracker | Kanlaon Volcano, Philippines |
| NASA tracker | Kikai Volcano, Japan |
| NASA tracker | Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii |
| NASA tracker | Krasheninnikov Volcano, Russia |
| NASA tracker | Langila Volcano, Papua New Guinea |
| NASA tracker | Lewotobi Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Lewotolok Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Marapi Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua |
| NASA tracker | Mayon Volcano, Philippines |
| NASA tracker | Merapi Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Nevados del Chillan Volcano, Chile |
| NASA tracker | Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico |
| NASA tracker | Puracé Volcano, Colombia |
| NASA tracker | Reventador Volcano, Ecuador |
| NASA tracker | Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, Costa Rica |
| NASA tracker | Sabancaya Volcano, Peru |
| NASA tracker | Sangay Volcano, Ecuador |
| NASA tracker | Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala |
| NASA tracker | Semeru Volcano, Indonesia |
| NASA tracker | Sheveluch Volcano, Russia |
| NASA tracker | Stromboli Volcano, Italy |
| NASA tracker | Suwanosejima Volcano, Japan |
| NASA tracker | Telica Volcano, Nicaragua |
| NASA tracker | Titan Ridge Volcano, Papua New Guinea |
Colour codes are the aviation scale: green is normal, yellow an advisory, orange a watch, red a warning. USGS rates US volcanoes only; the others come from NASA’s tracker of volcanoes with recent activity reports.
Sources: USGS Volcano Hazards Program, NASA EONET and USGS earthquakes for Campi Flegrei and Vesuvius.
Floods, weather warnings and other events
England: flood warnings and alerts
| Level | Area |
|---|---|
| Warning | South Devon coast at Beesands, Torcross, Slapton and Dawlish |
A flood warning means flooding is expected; an alert means it is possible. Alerts are counted but not listed one by one.
Sources: Environment Agency flood warnings (Open Government Licence v3.0), US National Weather Service, NASA EONET.
Space weather
| Kind of event | Highest level reached |
|---|---|
| Geomagnetic storm | None |
| Radio blackout | None |
| Solar radiation storm | None |
The planetary Kp index reached 4.3 on this day; 5 or more is a geomagnetic storm.
Highest Kp each day: 16 Oct 3.7 · 17 Oct 3.0 · 18 Oct 2.3 · 19 Oct 1.0 · 20 Oct 3.0 · 21 Oct 4.7 · 22 Oct 4.3
Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Climate readings
| Measure | Latest value | Reading date | How it compares | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific sea temperature (Niño 3.4) | +3.3 °C against normal | Week to 14 Oct | 1st highest weekly reading since 1981 | NOAA CPC |
| Arctic sea ice extent | 6.7 million km² | 17 Oct | 21% below the 1981–2010 average; 11th lowest of 44 years for the date | NSIDC |
| Antarctic sea ice extent | 16.2 million km² | 17 Oct | 11% below the 1981–2010 average; 2nd lowest of 44 years for the date | NSIDC |
| Carbon dioxide, Mauna Loa | 426.9 ppm | 21 Oct | 1.9 ppm higher than a year earlier | NOAA GML |
| Antarctic ozone hole | 24.0 million km² | 20 Oct | 3rd largest for the date since 1979; thinnest part 116 Dobson units | NASA |
These move slowly, so the latest reading may be a few days old. The summary page draws each one as a chart.