Weather of 2015

Some of the deadliest weather events were a pair of heat waves affecting India and Pakistan which together killed around 4,500 people.

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.

[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.

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

[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.

[45][46] Also in the month, Tropical Storm Chedza moved across Madagascar, killing 80 people, mostly due to landslides.

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.

[56][57] Soudelor struck the Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan and southeastern China, resulting in 59 deaths and over US$4 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.

[72] Also during the season, Cyclone Komen meandered over the northern Bay of Bengal, resulting in 187 deaths and US$2 billion in damage.

[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.

[56] The strongest was Hurricane Joaquin, which hit the Bahamas in October with 1 minute sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h).

[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.