Beyond the Forecast: A Multi-Sensor View of the 2024 Black Sea Superstorm

A new REACTIVE study (currently under review at Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences) presents one of the most comprehensive multi-sensor analyses of the devastating August 2024 Black Sea storm.

The work is available online on the EGUSphere: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2025/egusphere-2025-1842/

Rather than focusing on a single parameter, the research integrates:

• High-frequency seismic signals capturing rainfall intensity at the ground
• Microseismic bands (0.1–1 Hz) reflecting storm-driven sea-state changes
• GNSS-derived precipitable water vapor tracking multi-day atmospheric moisture buildup
• Infrasound recordings identifying atmospheric electrical and pressure disturbances

In September 2025, the REACTIVE team presented part of the groundbreaking results at the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior Conference in Lisbon, showcasing how the record-breaking 2024 Black Sea storm was detected using seismic, GNSS, and infrasound sensors.

Our presentation, “Seismo-acoustic and GNSS monitoring of a record-breaking storm in the Black Sea”, demonstrated how non-traditional geophysical networks captured atmospheric moisture buildup, lightning activity, intense rainfall, and storm-driven sea-state changes - revealing processes invisible to conventional meteorological tools.

Together, the independent observations used for the analysis reconstruct the storm’s full evolution - from pre-convective moisture accumulation to peak rainfall and coastal wave impact.

Why it matters:

• The August 2024 storm set new national precipitation records, as confirmed by the National Meteorological Administration (METEO Romania), highlighting the urgent need for integrated climate-hazard monitoring.
• By combining seismic, GNSS, and infrasound data, REACTIVE delivers a multi-physics perspective on extreme weather — strengthening early-warning capabilities and improving our understanding of climate-driven hazards.