The sandstorms spread from Inner Mongolia into the provinces of Gansu, Shanxi and Hubei, which surrounds Beijing.Ĭity residents used goggles, masks and hairnets to protect themselves from the choking air, with landmarks including the Forbidden City and the distinctive headquarters of state broadcaster CCTV obscured behind yellow smog. The storm further worsened air quality and pollution levels across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. In March, China witnessed its worst sandstorm in a decade, bringing flights to a halt and shuttering schools. In Midland, the heart of the West Texas shale region, record snowfall and temperatures hitting a 32-year low shut down offices and businesses. The unprecedented deep freeze led to the deaths of hundreds of Texans and left millions in the dark for days. In February, temperatures dropped to -13 degrees Celsius (8.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas of Texas, causing widespread electricity cuts.

Some 10,000 people sought shelter at emergency evacuation centres as floods and rain destroyed homes, as well as agricultural land and other infrastructure. The force and intensity of the Category 2 storm took many by surprise, though it came just two months after an earlier cyclone devastated parts of the archipelago. At least five people – including a three-year-old child – went missing. Fijiįiji was hit by Cyclone Ana at the end of January, killing one person. Residents evacuated their homes in parts of England, while the snowfall that followed led to travel disruptions and road closures. For three consecutive days, Storm Christoph brought significant rain and widespread flooding across the country. On January 18, the United Kingdom saw some of its heaviest precipitations in decades. Firefighters shovel snow during a heavy snowfall in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain United Kingdom

Madrid experienced its heaviest snowfall since 1971 after what Spain’s weather agency described as “exceptional and most likely historic” conditions caused by Storm Filomena.Īt the time, the extreme conditions put four other regions in the centre of the country on alert for days.Īccording to The New York Times, the snowstorm caused damage estimated at about 1.4 billion euros ($1.6bn). The blizzard trapped motorists and closed the capital Madrid’s air and rail links. Snowstorms across much of Spain killed at least four people during the first week of January. Here is a recap of the major environmental events so far of 2021.

The extreme weather events are major indications of climate change, an issue scientists have warned requires urgent action by world leaders currently attending the United Nations Conference on Climate Change COP26 in Glasgow. A wide range of natural disasters struck numerous parts of the world this year.įrom deadly floods and wildfires to record-breaking rainfall and temperatures, countries including the United States, Greece, Indonesia, and China – among others – have all been affected.

Big weather event coming