Disaster struck on 7 January when Puerto Rico was rocked by a massive earthquake. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit just south of the island, sending huge aftershocks across the area. The deadly shockwaves severely damaged the country’s infrastructure, injuring dozens and left almost a million people without power.

Dark clouds of ash blew across the city of Talisay in the Philippines after the Taal volcano unexpectedly erupted in January. After 43 years lying dormant, the volcano erupted on 12 January, blowing ash more than 62 miles (100km) north, carpeting villages and filling the air with smoke. Hundreds were forced to flee the area and the country’s main international airport was forced to temporarily close.  

Kashmir experienced its heaviest recorded snowfall in 40 years in mid-January according to officials. Roads were blocked, vehicles were stranded and electricity lines were damaged as snow covered the area, bringing Kashmir to a standstill. Avalanches triggered by the heavy snowfall destroyed houses and killed dozens of people. This image captures a stream blanketed by snow in Pahalgam, just north of Srinagar, Kashmir’s summer capital. 

Severe rainstorms swept across Brazil’s Minas Gerais state during January. The heavy rainfall which measured over 32 inches (81.3cm) in just 27 days, sparked devastating floods and landslides that wreaked havoc and killed dozens. Thousands were forced to evacuate their homes after entire neighbourhoods overflowed with water and mud. Over 120 municipalities in Minas Gerais declared a “state of emergency” following the extreme downpour which finally subsided in late January.

Eastern Turkey was shook by a colossal 6.7 magnitude earthquake on 24 January. The huge earthquake struck near the town of Sivrice, in the eastern Elaziğ province, causing buildings to collapse which killed at least 22 people and trapped dozens. More than 1,600 people were injured by the quake's terrifying tremors and aftershocks.

Sydney was submerged by a wave of torrential rainfall back in February. Thousands across the city were left without power after an intense storm caused strong winds and flooding, toppling power lines and overflowing roads. Sydney’s Warragamba Dam experienced a huge surge from the rainfall. The dam levels, which dipped as low as 45% in December 2019, hit a whopping 62% capacity due to the intense rainfall.

Harsh winter winds hit parts of upstate New York in February, triggering icy blizzards and snowfall. Cold air swept across the Great Lakes and caused intense lake-effect snow measuring more than 30 inches (76cm) in parts of the state. The snowfall buried buildings and houses, froze lakes and blizzards resulted in dangerous conditions for drivers.

Parts of the UK experienced the wettest February on record after Storm Jorge surged across the country. According to the Met Office, the heavy downpour which mostly impacted the southwest averaged around eight inches (20cm), the highest recorded rainfall since February 1990 when it was 7.6 inches (19cm). The torrential rain sparked major flooding, bursting rivers and streams overflowing onto houses and roads and causing thousands to go without power. 

São Paulo in Brazil was also swamped with torrential rainfall in February, causing widespread mudslides and flash flooding throughout the city. Houses and streets were deluged with mud and water as rivers burst. The Pinheiros River reached record-breaking levels, the highest in 15 years due to the rain. The floods killed at least 150 people and displaced thousands. Climate change is thought to be the cause of the extreme rainfall. Take a look at the world's landmarks under threat from climate change.

Intense rainstorms continued to surge through parts of Brazil in early March, triggering deadly landslides that claimed dozens of lives. The coastal areas of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro were hit the hardest as houses, trees and debris were swept away in the mudslides. At least 200 people in the town of Guarujá were displaced from their homes. 

Last year’s bushfire season continued to severely scorch parts of Australia in March. Around 24 million hectares of land were torched by bush and grass fires between June 2019 and March 2020, destroying over 3,000 homes, killing thousands of animals and at least 25 people in the southeast. The deadly bushfires that eventually came to an end in New South Wales in late March, is thought to be one of the most devastating seasons on record. 

A mystical fog rolled into Toronto, Canada on 20 March, enveloping the famous CN Tower and city skyline in an eerie white cloud. Check out more unusual weather phenomena around the world here.

A huge forest fire set parts of China ablaze on 30 March. The fire started at a farm near the city of Xichang in the Sichuan province, strong winds quickly spread the flames, causing heavy smoke to drift over buildings and roads. Eighteen firefighters and one guide lost their lives while trying to tackle the deadly blaze which was thankfully contained in early April.

A string of terrifying tornadoes swept across the southern United States during April. Over 100 tornadoes ravaged parts of the south and the southeast during the Easter weekend making it the second most active April for tornadoes in the US on record. Dozens were killed and according to Forbes, it was the country’s deadliest month for tornadoes since May 2013.

Several wildfires engulfed parts of northern Ukraine between 4-14 April. Residents were forced to flee as the surrounding forests were torched, spreading dangerously close to the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The fires reportedly caused a spike in radiation levels in the area. Learn more about Chernobyl and other places where time stands still here.

Auckland was hit with its driest four months on record in the city’s history earlier this year following a huge dry spell. The sweltering drought conditions caused the region’s dam water levels to drop below 50% for the first time in 25 years with water company Watercare calling on residents to help conserve water. Pictured here is the Cosseys Dam dried up due to the severe heat. 

Blistering high temperatures also dried up parts of Germany in April. The unusually dry conditions which were thought to be due to climate change threatened forests and crops throughout the country. The drought became so severe that cargo ships on the German section of the Rhine river were unable to sail fully loaded due to the extremely low water levels. Pictured here is a farmer's field near the city of Luckau showing parched soil marked by a tractor's wheels.

Heavy rainfall drenched Indonesia's Aceh province in early May, triggering devastating flooding. Landslides and flash floods submerged villages and towns, disrupting transport and overflowing onto roads. Hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate and thousands were affected by the rising water levels.

A devastating fire set Wareham Forest in England alight on 18 May. The fire broke out in the afternoon, accidentally triggered by disposable BBQs and tore through the trees for almost two weeks, damaging roughly 220 hectares of land in its deadly path. 

Billions of desert locusts plagued parts of East Africa in May. The locusts ravished crops and vegetation, causing livestock to die and severe food shortages which threatened millions with starvation as the insects continued to breed. The huge swarm was the worst locust invasion in 70 years to hit Kenya. Now, the locusts, which flourish when arid areas are doused in rain, have shifted to eastern Ethiopia and continue to devastate the area.

Super-cyclone Amphan struck the coast of Bangladesh on 20 May, causing destruction and devastation. The huge cyclone brought powerful winds and heavy storms across the region, sending trees and buildings flying and leaving dozens dead while thousands were forced to flee. This image captures flooded houses in Shyamnagar, after a dam broke causing surges of water to sweep through the streets

Parts of eastern India were also hit hard by cyclone Amphan in May. The deadly cyclone surged through the eastern capital of Kolkata, uprooting thousands of trees, severing power lines and flattening homes. At least 80 people were killed across India and Bangladesh. Millions were left without power and it was the worst cyclone the city has seen in over 100 years.

The short-lived but costly tropical Storm Amanda hit El Salvador in late May and early June. Dozens lost their lives as the cyclone tore through the region, triggering heavy flooding and landslides. The horrific storm caused at least £161 million ($200m) in damages and is estimated to be one of the worst natural disasters to hit El Salvador since Hurricane Mitch in 1988.

India’s strongest tropical cyclone in decades battered the west coast in early June. The cyclone made landfall on 3 June near the coastal town of Alibaug, 30 miles south of Mumbai, uprooting trees and cars with its powerful winds up to 70mph. Thousands were evacuated from Mumbai and the surrounding area and at least four people were killed. 

The UK experienced one of the hottest days of the year on 24 June, as temperatures climbed to a sweltering 32.6°C (90.7°F). Crowds across the country flocked to rivers, beaches and lakes to enjoy the summer heat. Pictured here is Bournemouth beach on the south coast of England.

Indonesia’s most active volcano, Mount Merapi, rocked the country on 21 June after it erupted twice. The eruptions lasted around seven minutes, spewing ash and smoke thousands of metres up into the air. Despite the dramatic sight, no fatalities or injuries were reported.

On 9 July, torrential rain in central Japan caused the Kuma River to burst, sending floodwaters to surge across the region. The heavy rain and subsequent landslides swept away cars and bridges and cut off communities, causing extensive damage. At least a dozen people were killed by the deadly waters. 

Huge flooding also engulfed parts of central and eastern China during July. Millions were forced to evacuate and more than 100 people were killed after the Yangtze River swelled and overflowed due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. The extreme floods wrecked buildings and homes and wiped out more than 1.9 million hectares of crops. 

A huge landslide triggered by heavy rainfall caused a jade mine to collapse in Myanmar's northern Kachin state in July. The horrific incident killed at least 162 people, after mine waste fell into a lake, causing a wave of mud and debris to bury the mine and many of its workers.

Wildfire swept across Susanville in California on 20 July after flames started from an unknown cause. The extreme fire burned through over 8,000 acres of land and was so big that it generated its own fiery thunderstorms and lightning. A huge hail storm helped put out the fires two days later. 

Harsh monsoon rain swamped Nepal and Bangladesh in late July. The excessive rainfall overwhelmed the region, spurring deadly landslides and flooding, swallowing houses, cutting off villages and impacting millions of people as the water levels rose. 

Wild winds from Hurricane Laura battered much of the state of Louisiana in August. The powerful winds of the Category 2 hurricane caused severe damage state-wide, flattening houses and cutting power lines, leaving at least half a million homes without electricity. At least a dozen people were killed in the hurricane’s deadly path. See more of America's most shocking storms here.

Monsoon rains overwhelmed parts of Pakistan causing chaos in late August. Over 1,000 homes in the city of Karachi were destroyed by the harsh flooding and sewage sweeping through the streets after three days of rainfall. Millions of people were displaced in what was described as the worst rainfall to hit Karachi since records began 89 years ago.

This dramatic picture captures a huge wave crashing into Newhaven harbour in England during Storm Francis in August. The powerful record-breaking gusts of wind reached almost 80mph and battered houses, tore through trees and sparked heavy flooding. Thankfully, the storm cleared up two days later. 

In late September, a series of near-perfect vertical lightning strikes hit lower Manhattan in New York City during a thunderstorm, creating this incredible image. 

Typhoon Haishen slammed through southwest Japan and South Korea in early September, forcing millions to evacuate. The huge typhoon which made landfall on 31 August triggered gusts of up to 149mph in September and caused thousands of homes across Japan to lose power. Pictured are police (dressed in blue suits) conducting search and rescue operations at the site of a landslide in the village of Shiiba, in the Miyazaki prefecture.

An early winter storm chilled Colorado in early September following a heatwave, blanketing the state’s front range with snow. On 9 September, the city of Boulder (pictured here) experienced at least four inches (10cm) of snow, the earliest snowfall in decades as temperatures plummeted.

Monsoon rains continued to overflow in parts of India during September. This picture captures commuters wading through waist-high water in a flooded street in Mumbai. Between 1 June and 24 September, the city experienced its highest recorded rainfall in over 61 years, with roughly 144.9 inches (368cm) of rain falling in just under three months. 

A series of violent thunderstorms and heavy torrential rain sparked flash floods in France during late September and early October. Southern France was struck by deadly floods which gushed through roads, bridges and houses and isolated numerous villages in what was reportedly the worst rainfall recorded in decades for the region. Dozens were killed and at least two people went missing as the floodwaters swept through the country. 

Louisiana was sadly battered by another violent storm after Hurricane Delta made landfall on 9 October. The Category 2 hurricane sparked aggressive winds of up to 100mph and floods to surge through the state. Houses and streets were swamped, causing state-wide power outages and killing at least four people. Now discover the windiest places on Earth.

Vietnam suffered from weeks of heavy showers in October, causing huge amounts of flooding. Dubbed some of the worst flooding in decades, the high waters and landslides killed more than 100 people, thousands of animals and damaged over 7,200 hectares of crops. Here, a man rides his bicycle through the floodwaters in the Hai Lang District in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province.

Turkey was rocked by another earthquake on 30 October. The powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off west Turkey’s Aegean coast near Greece, causing around 20 buildings to collapse and killing at least 116 people across the two countries. Over 400 aftershocks have been recorded and the tremors triggered a mini tsunami that flooded the Turkish city of Izmir and the Greek Island of Samos.

Wildfires continued to rage in California during October and November with flames engulfing the state since early September. The Silverado fire started on 26 October and consumed over 13,000 acres of land and forced almost 70,000 people in Orange County to evacuate their homes. As of 7 November, the Silverado fire has been contained.

Now take a look at the world's most unexpected weather events