Satellite image of tropical cyclones Lam (top-center) and Marcia (right), which marked the first instance of two tropical cyclones hitting Australia in a 24 hour period in February 2015

The following is a list of weather events that occurred on Earth in the year 2015. There were several natural disasters around the world from various types of weather, including blizzards, cold waves, droughts, heat waves, tornadoes, and tropical cyclones.

Some of the deadliest weather events were a pair of heat waves affecting India and Pakistan which together killed around 4,500 people. Also in Asia, Cyclone Komen in July killed 187 people. A series of monsoonal floods in India killed 470 people in the last three months of the year. In October, heavy rainfall in Guatemala triggered a major landslide in a village near Guatemala City, killing at least 280 people. The costliest single weather event of the year was Typhoon Mujigae, which left ¥27 billion (US$4.3 billion) in damage and caused 27 deaths in southern China. In October, Hurricane Patricia became the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the western hemisphere, when it attained 1 minute sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 872 mbar (25.8 inHg) off the west coast of Mexico.

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Winter storms and cold waves

Snow-covered cars in Chicago

In February, blizzard and avalanches killed more than 300 people in Afghanistan.[1] Also in February, a blizzard affected much of North America amid a cold wave, killing 30 people and leaving US$3.5 billion in damage.[2]

Droughts, heat waves, and wildfires

Wildfires in Cape Town, South Africa

From February to April, South Africa experienced wildfires.[3] In April, wildfires in Russia killed 33 people.[4] The yearly wildfires in the state of California killed nine people and left more than US$4.7 billion in damage.[5][6][7][8][9] The yearly wildfires in the state of Washington was the largest in state history,[10] with more than one million acres (400,000 ha; 1,600 sq mi) burning across the state from June to September.[11] In November, wildfires in Western Australia killed four people.[12]

In May, a heat wave in India killed at least 2,500 people.[13] A month later, a heat wave in neighboring Pakistan killed about 2,000 people.[14]

Drought across the western United States throughout the year caused more than US$5 billion in damage, mostly related to agriculture losses.[2]

Floods

Aerial view of floods in southern India in Chennai

In January, floods in southeastern Africa killed more than 214 people in Malawi and Mozambique.[15] In March, floods in Chile killed 25 people, and forced 3,000 people to stay in emergency shelters.[16] Also in the month, floods in Tanzania killed 50 people.[17] In April, a landslide in Salvador, Brazil killed at least 14 people.[18] Also in the month, snowmelt triggered a landslide in Afghanistan, killing 52 people.[19] In May, heavy rainfall triggered a landslide in Salgar, Colombia, killing 83 people.[20][21] In June, floods in the country of Georgia killed 20 people.[22] Also in June, heavy rainfall caused floods in Accra, the capital of the African nation of Ghana; the floods killed at least 25 people, while a petrol station explosion caused by the flooding killed at least 200 more people.[23][24] In July, floods in Gujarat in western India killed 71 people and more than 81,000 cattle.[25] Monsoon floods in India from October to December killed at least 470 people.[26] In October, heavy rainfall in Guatemala triggered a major landslide in a village near Guatemala City, killing at least 280 people.[27] Also in October, a cold front drew moisture from Hurricane Joaquin to produce floods across the eastern United States, killing 25 people and causing US$2.4 billion in damage.[2]

Tornadoes

A high-end EF4 wedge tornado near Rochelle, Illinois on April 9.

During the year, there were at least 1,178 tornadoes in the United States, which resulted in 36 fatalities.[28][29]

In April, a tornado killed three people in Myanmar.[30] A tornado outbreak in Pakistan killed 45 people.[31][32] Also in April, a tornado in Brazil killed two people.[33] In addition, the 2015 Rochelle–Fairdale, Illinois tornado caused 2 deaths, 19 injuries and $11 million across central Illinois.[34][35][36][37] Finally in April, a tornado in Pakistan causes 45 deaths.[38][39] An outbreak in May killed at least five people and left US$1.5 billion in damage.[2] Also in May, a tornado in Mexico, part of the 2015 Texas-Oklahoma flood and tornado outbreak, killed 14 people.[40] As a result of the storm's damaging effects, 45 people were killed and over 200 were wounded.[39] In July, a tornado in Italy killed one person.[41]

Tropical cyclones

Satellite image of Hurricane Patricia off the southwest coast of Mexico as the strongest tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere

As the year began, Tropical Storm Jangmi was dissipating in the South China Sea.[42] There were 12 tropical cyclones in the year in the south-west Indian Ocean,[43][44] including very intense tropical cyclones Bansi and Eunice, which both attained 10 minute sustained winds of at least 220 km/h (140 mph) in January.[45][46] Also in the month, Tropical Storm Chedza moved across Madagascar, killing 80 people, mostly due to landslides.[47][48] In the Australian region, there were 17 tropical cyclones. In February, two cyclones – Lam and Marcia made landfall in Australia in a 24 hour period, the first ever recorded instance of such an occurrence. Lam moved ashore Northern Australia, causing widespread flooding. Six hours later, Marcia made landfall on Queensland as a Category 5 severe tropical cyclone, causing A$750 million (US$587 million) in damage.[49][50][51][52] There were 18 tropical cyclones in the South Pacific, including Cyclone Pam in March, which moved through Vanuatu with winds of 250 km/h (155 mph), causing 16 deaths and VT63.2 billion (US$600 million) in damage.[53][54][55] There were also two subtropical cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean, Bapo and Cari.[43]

In the north-west Pacific Ocean, there were 38 tropical cyclones during the year. Its strongest was Typhoon Soudelor in August, with 10 minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph).[56][57] Soudelor struck the Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan and southeastern China, resulting in 59 deaths and over US$4 billion in damage.[58][59][60] Also in August, Typhoon Goni killed 74 people and caused more than US$1 billion in damage.[61][62][63][64][65] In October, Typhoon Mujigae hit Guangdong in southern China with 10 minute winds of 155 km/h (100 mph), the strongest recorded landfall in the country in the month. The typhoon caused ¥27 billion (US$4.3 billion) in damage and 27 deaths in China.[66][67] In the north Indian Ocean, there were 12 tropical cyclones,[68] including Cyclone Chapala, the strongest recorded cyclone to strike Yemen, which hit during the country's civil war.[69][70] A week later, the cyclone was followed by Cyclone Megh, which killed 18 people on Socotra island.[71] In June, a depression in western India killed 81 people and caused widespread floods.[72] Also during the season, Cyclone Komen meandered over the northern Bay of Bengal, resulting in 187 deaths and US$2 billion in damage.[73][74][75][76][77][78][79]

In the north-east Pacific Ocean, there were 31 tropical cyclones, half of which intensified into hurricanes.[56] The strongest storm of the season was Hurricane Patricia, which on October 23 attained 1 minute sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 872 mbar (25.8 inHg), making it the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the western hemisphere, and the second-strongest worldwide after Typhoon Tip in 1979. Patricia struck southwestern Mexico after weakening, causing at least two deaths and US$325 million in damage.[80] The Atlantic hurricane season was quiet by contrast, with just 12 tropical cyclones.[56] The strongest was Hurricane Joaquin, which hit the Bahamas in October with 1 minute sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). Damage in the country was estimated at US$200 million. Joaquin also capsized the cargo ship SS El Faro, killing the crew of 33 people.[81][82] Also during the season, Tropical Storm Erika produced flooding and landslides in Dominica when it moved through the Lesser Antilles in August, killing 30 people and causing US$482.8 million on the island.[83][84]

References

  1. ↑ "Avalanches kill more than 300 in Afghanistan". The Telegraph.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)".
  3. ↑ "Crews battling as Cape Town fires continue to rage". eNCA. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Anna Liesowska (16 April 2015). "Fire rages on as death toll from two blazes reaches 33". The Siberian Times. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Geiling, Natasha (23 September 2016). "California fire becomes the most expensive in history". ThinkProgress. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. ↑ Ken Pimlott (2016). "2015 Wildfire Activity Statistics" (PDF). CAL FIRE. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Locke, Cathy (August 4, 2015). "Firefighter at Frog fire died of carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation, autopsy shows". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  8. ↑ Rocha, Veronica (August 9, 2015). "Firefighter, 21, Is 2nd Killed Battling Northern California Wildfires". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ Kurtis Alexander; Kale Williams; Evan Sernoffsky (September 14, 2015). "Worry to horror: A caretaker's desperate attempt to get help for fire victim". SF Gate. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  10. ↑ Kamb, Lewis; Doughton, Sandi; González, Ángel (August 21, 2015). "Washington wildfires rage; Obama declares state of emergency". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ "2015 Northwest Fire Statistics to Date". NWCC Info. Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. September 30, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  12. ↑ "WA bushfires: Four people found dead near Esperance". TheGuardian.com. 17 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Meteorologist, Chris Burton-. "Indian monsoon arrives - deadly heatwave ends". The Weather Network.
  14. ↑ "Heat Wave Death Toll Rises to 2,000 in Pakistan's Financial Hub". Bloomberg.com. 24 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Floods kill scores in Malawi, Mozambique". USAToday. Associated Press. 16 Jan 2015. Retrieved 25 Jan 2015.
  16. ↑ "Chile floods: 25 dead, more than 100 missing". CNN. 6 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Death toll in Tanzania flooding hits 50". ReliefWeb.int. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  18. ↑ "Landslide killed at least 14 people in Brazil". BBC News. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Afghanistan landslide buries remote village, killing 52". BBC. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  20. ↑ Adriaan Alsema (18 May 2015). "'200 still missing' after west Colombia avalanche kills at least 48". Colombia Reports. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "Colombia landslide rescue nears completion, China extends condolences". Xinhua. 21 May 2015.
  22. ↑ North, Andrew (18 June 2015). "Police still searching Tbilisi streets for tiger and hyena after zoo flood". The Guardian.
  23. ↑ "Over 200 killed in Ghana gas station explosion". Zee News. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  24. ↑ "Ghana petrol station inferno kills about 150 in Accra". BBC. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  25. ↑ "Gujarat floods: 72 people dead, over 81,000 cattle perished due to heavy rains". Firstpost. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  26. ↑ "Northeast monsoon claimed 470 lives in Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa". Business Line. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  27. ↑ "Search in Guatemala landslide ends with 280 dead, 70 missing". Reuters. 14 October 2015.
  28. ↑ "2015 Tornado Count". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Annual U.S. Killer Tornado Statistics". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Tornado kills 3, injures 5 in Myanmar northernmost state". CÍHAN. April 6, 2015. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Peshawar rain, winds caused by tornado, says Met office". 28 April 2015.
  32. ↑ "Toll from Pakistan storm rises to 45".
  33. ↑ Angela Fritz (April 22, 2015). "Deadly tornado destroys parts of Xanxere city in Brazil". Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 8, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  34. ↑ Illinois Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Climatic Data Center. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Chicago, Illinois. 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  35. ↑ Illinois Event Report: EF4 Tornado (Report). National Climatic Data Center. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Chicago, Illinois. 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  36. ↑ Illinois Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Climatic Data Center. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Chicago, Illinois. 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  37. ↑ Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Climatic Data Center. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Chicago, Illinois. 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  38. ↑ Ali, Kalbe (28 April 2015). "Peshawar rain, winds caused by tornado, says Met office". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  39. 1 2 Ali, Zulfiqar (28 April 2015). "Mini-cyclone death toll rises to 45". Dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  40. ↑ "Death toll from Mexico tornado rises to 14". Pluz News. May 28, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Tornado drama captured in Venice, Italy". BBC News.
  42. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  43. 1 2 "Southern Hemisphere 2014-2015 Tropical Cyclone Season Review".
  44. ↑ "Southern Hemisphere 2015-2016 Tropical Cyclone Season Review".
  45. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  46. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  47. ↑ "9 February 2015: World Events". European Commission Humanitarian Aid department. ReliefWeb. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Madagascar storm death toll climbs to 68". ReliefWeb. Agence France-Presse. January 27, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Twin cyclones, Marcia and Lam hit Australia". Stuff.co.nz. February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  50. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  51. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  52. ↑ Frost, Pamela (23 March 2015). "Damage bill for Cyclone Marcia reaches $750 million". Fraser Coast Chronicle. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  53. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  54. ↑ "Tropical Cyclone Pam: Vanuatu death toll rises to 16 as relief effort continues". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  55. ↑ "Supporting cyclone recovery and reconstruction in Vanuatu". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  56. 1 2 3 "Northern Hemisphere 2015 Tropical Cyclone Season Review".
  57. ↑ "IBTrACS - International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship".
  58. ↑ "Guam Event Report: Rip Current". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service Office in Guam. 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  59. ↑ Yang Shu-min and Lauren Hung (August 12, 2015). "Agricultural losses from Typhoon Soudelor top NT$3 billion". Taipei, Taiwan: Focus Taiwan. Central News Agency. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  60. ↑ "Member Report: China" (PDF). CMA. China Meterelogical Agency. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  61. ↑ Philippine Member Report (PDF). PAGASA (Report). ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee 10th Integrated Workshop. 2015. p. 7. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  62. ↑ Final Report re Effects of Typhoon "Ineng" (I.N. Goni) (PDF). National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Report). September 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  63. ↑ Typhoon Goni leaves a trail of death and destruction across Asia Pacific. International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Report). August 26, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  64. ↑ Global Catastrophe Recap (PDF) (Report). AON Benfield. August 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  65. ↑ "Typhoon Goni: 40 Casualties Reported In North Korea as Goni Remnants Cause Flooding". Weather Channel. August 26, 2015.
  66. ↑ China Meteorological Administration (October 26–29, 2015). Member Report of China (PDF). ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee 10th Integrated Workshop. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. pp. 13–15. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  67. ↑ Lai, Edwin S. T. (February 22–25, 2016). Executive Summary of Members' Reports 2015 (PDF). 48th Session of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. Honolulu, Hawaii, United States: ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  68. ↑ "REPORT ON CYCLONIC DISTURBANCES OVER NORTH INDIAN OCEAN DURING 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  69. ↑ Cassie Bell (4 November 2015). "Cyclone Chapala whirls furiously into Yemen". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  70. ↑ Bindu Rai (1 November 2015). "Cyclone Chapala: 30ft high waves; Schools suspended; Oman, Yemen on high alert". Emirates 24/7. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  71. ↑ "Yemen – Tropical Cyclones MEGH and CHAPALA". ECHO. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  72. ↑ Stevenson, Chris (26 June 2015). "Indian monsoon rains kill 81 and leave over 9,000 stranded". The Independent. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  73. ↑ Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. "EM-DAT: The Emergency Events Database". Université catholique de Louvain.
  74. ↑ Nur Uddin Alamgir (August 22, 2015). "Rainfall causes severe damage to embankments in Ctg". Daily Sun. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  75. ↑ "Joint Needs Assessment Report: West Bengal Floods 2015" (PDF). Sphere India. August 30, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  76. ↑ Nick Wiltgen (August 5, 2015). "Floods, Landslides in Myanmar, India and Other Asian Countries Leave At Least 493 Dead". Weather.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  77. ↑ Cyclonic Storm (CS) Komen over the Bay of Bengal (26 July-02 August 2015) (PDF) (Report). India Meteorological Department. August 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  78. ↑ Myanmar: Post-disaster needs assessment of floods and landslides July - September 2015 (PDF) (Report). World Bank. Government of the Union of Myanmar. November 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  79. ↑ Disasters in Asia and the Pacific: 2015 Year in Review (PDF) (Report). ReliefWeb. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. March 10, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  80. ↑ Todd B. Kimberlain; Eric S. Blake; John P. Cangialosi (February 1, 2016). Hurricane Patricia (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  81. ↑ Robbie Berg (January 12, 2016). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Joaquin 2015 (PDF) (Technical report). United States National Hurricane Center. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  82. ↑ "PM Christie: Hurricanes Matthew and Joaquin Losses Estimated in Hundreds of Millions - Bahamas". 21 October 2016.
  83. ↑ Richard J. Pasch and Andrew B. Penny (February 8, 2016). Tropical Storm Erika (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  84. ↑ Dominica: Tropical Storm Erika - Emergency appeal operations update no. 2 (MDRDM002) (PDF). International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (Report). ReliefWeb. January 21, 2016.
Global weather by year
Preceded by
2014		Weather of
2015		Succeeded by
2016
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