Historic waves enable legendary surf competition in Hawaii

Proceeding from its article, The Guardian unveils that weather events across the globe have been causing significant disruptions, with powerful storms, extreme temperatures, and unusual snowfall affecting various regions. 

A rare surfing event, the Eddie, occurred in Hawaii last week, driven by massive waves.  

These waves, which originated about a week ago in the North Pacific Ocean, were generated by a low-pressure system that created an unusually large swell. The swell eventually reached Hawaii, allowing the Eddie to take place for only the 11th time in its 40-year history.  

Named in honor of the legendary big-wave surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau, the competition can only happen when waves at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore exceed 9 meters (30 feet).  

The waves continued their journey to Peru, where they caused the closure of three-quarters of the ports. Although the waves were smaller by then, still peaking at nearly 3 meters, they retained significant force, resulting in damage to boats and homes.

Over the weekend, severe thunderstorms and multiple tornadoes struck several US states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, resulting in at least two fatalities and leaving four others injured.

In Mississippi alone, more than 68,000 power outages were reported, while Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas experienced an additional 75,000 outages.

Severe weather warnings were issued for over a dozen states, forecasting further thunderstorms, damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and hail. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected to move north-eastward across the mid-Atlantic region of the US early this week.

In Iceland, temperatures are predicted to drop 15-20°C below the seasonal average, with the country’s largest utility, Veitur, warning of potential restrictions on hot water usage. A more northerly weather pattern will prevent daily maximum temperatures from rising above 0°C in much of the country. The capital, Reykjavik, is expected to experience maximum temperatures of -5°C at least until Wednesday, with minimum temperatures potentially dipping to -15-20°C each night, about 10-15°C lower than usual for this time of year.

Norway is under warnings for strong winds and snow as a low-pressure system moved in from the west last week. The Helgeland district is expected to receive 30-60cm of snow within 24 hours. Coastal areas in the region may experience gusty winds, with speeds reaching 40-50mph, potentially causing blizzard conditions.

In the southern hemisphere, parts of Australia are bracing for a heatwave, with heat warnings issued for Queensland and the Northern Territory. Residents of Perth are anticipating sweltering temperatures reaching the low 40s on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, which is over 10°C above the seasonal average.

By Naila Huseynova