Daily Earthquakes, Storms, Fires & Floods Report – November 5, 2026

By Paul Harrison, Orbis Weather · Nov 5, 2026

At a glance

Overnight flash flooding on the Georgia-Tennessee line was the main hazard in the 24 hours from 7:21 a.m. EST November 4 to 7:21 a.m. EST November 5 (12:21 UTC to 12:21 UTC); elsewhere it was a quiet day.

• Floods: flash flood emergencies in Fannin County, Georgia, and Polk County, Tennessee, brought evacuations and swift-water rescues around McCaysville.
• Storms: Typhoon In-fa is the only active tropical cyclone and is staying over open Pacific water. NHC is watching three areas for possible development.
• Earthquakes: five of magnitude 4.5 or greater, the largest a 5.1 in Tanzania; no damage was reported.
• Fires: US activity is light, at preparedness level 1, with no new large fires.
• Volcanoes: no major new eruption or tsunami.

National weather services and local authorities issue the official warnings; follow them first.

Earthquakes

It was a quiet day for earthquakes: the US Geological Survey (USGS) catalog lists five of magnitude 4.5 or greater, and none reached magnitude 6.

What stands out

• The largest event was a magnitude 5.1 shallow quake in northwestern Tanzania. USGS lists 16 “felt” reports and no damage alert.
• The magnitude 5.0 off Northern California struck at sea, about 69 miles (111 km) west of Petrolia. USGS gave it a green PAGER alert, meaning little or no expected damage, and 122 people reported feeling it. No tsunami was flagged.
• Two of the five were very deep (over 300 miles), which usually limits shaking at the surface.

USGS counted 186 earthquakes of all sizes worldwide in the window. No magnitude 6 or larger occurred on November 3 or 4 before the window opened. USGS catalog search, run at 12:21 UTC (7:21 a.m. EST) on November 5.

Storms

One tropical cyclone is active worldwide, Typhoon In-fa, and it is over open Pacific water south of Japan with no land in its forecast path.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which calls it Typhoon No. 31, measured it at 970 hPa with 75 mph (65 kt) 10-minute winds at 03:45 UTC on November 4, according to Weathernews. JMA and the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) average winds over different periods, so their figures differ. Newer advisories from either agency replace these figures. Weathernews said the track “stays over open water and does not approach the Japanese mainland,” with transition to an extratropical low by November 7. Shipping in the western and northern Pacific faces rough seas; JTWC put the highest waves near 30 feet (9 m).

No tropical storms are active in the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific or Central Pacific. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is watching three areas:

• South of Bermuda: a non-tropical low could gradually gain subtropical traits this weekend. Chance of formation: 30% in 48 hours, 50% in 7 days (NHC, 1 a.m. EST Nov 5).
• Off Central America: a broad low “could bring areas of heavy rain to portions of Central America through this weekend.” Chance: 40% in 48 hours, 60% in 7 days (NHC, 10 p.m. PST Nov 4).
• Well southeast of Hawaii: a tropical depression “is likely to form over the Central Pacific basin during the next few days.” Chance: 60% in 48 hours, 70% in 7 days (Central Pacific Hurricane Center, 8 p.m. HST Nov 4). It poses no stated threat to Hawaii.

In the Indian Ocean, JTWC lists no active systems. Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu, which came ashore near Ongole, India, on November 3 local time, has left the active list (see Floods for its toll).

Fires

US wildfire activity is light, at the lowest national preparedness level, though the 2026 season’s acreage is far above average. Figures come from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) situation report dated 7:30 a.m. MDT, Wednesday, November 4.

Fires to know

• Sisi Fire, Washington (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest): 4,816 acres (1,949 ha), 45% contained. NIFC notes “residences threatened.”
• Bee Haven 2, Florida: 2,060 acres (834 ha), 85% contained, 28 miles northwest of Lake City.
• Wild River, New Hampshire (White Mountain National Forest): 288 acres (117 ha), 11% contained.

No US fire was listed with evacuations. Elsewhere, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) shows only green-level (low-impact) wildfire alerts. The largest new ones were in Australia (up to 13,376 ha, or about 33,050 acres) and Botswana (several between 5,500 and 6,900 ha).

Floods

The day’s most serious new flood hit the Georgia-Tennessee line overnight, where flash flood emergencies forced evacuations and swift-water rescues around McCaysville, Georgia.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City issued what WSB-TV called a “catastrophic” flash flood warning. FOX Weather reported flash flood emergencies for Polk County, Tennessee, and Fannin County, Georgia, with 5 to 8 inches (127–203 mm) of rain in 12 hours. FOX 5 Atlanta cited more than 6 inches (152 mm) in 24 hours. McCaysville declared a state of emergency, ordered evacuations along West and East Tennessee Avenue at 4:30 a.m., and closed all city entrances, CBS News Atlanta reported. County officials said “multiple homes had flooded.” A shelter is open at the Fannin County Recreation Center in Blue Ridge. No rescue count had been released, and FOX 5 said there were no confirmed injuries or deaths.

GDACS also lists low-impact flood alerts in Bulgaria and Spain earlier in the week, with no deaths.

Also today

No major new eruption or tsunami was reported in the window. USGS flagged no tsunami for any of the day’s earthquakes. The most recent Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report in its public feed on November 5 covers October 8–14. It listed 23 volcanoes in continuing eruption, including Kilauea (Hawaii), Etna (Italy), Fuego (Guatemala) and Mayon and Kanlaon (Philippines).

Several volcano stories circulating this week under November dates describe eruptions from earlier in 2026, at Manaro Voui (Vanuatu), Mayon and Marapi (Indonesia). Readers should check the date of the activity, not just the date of the article.

What to watch in the next 24 hours

• North Georgia and southeast Tennessee flooding: river levels and rescue counts through Thursday. Updates from NWS Peachtree City and Fannin County Emergency Management.
• Rain along the East Coast: FOX Weather expects more than an inch along much of the I-95 corridor Thursday, and 2 to 3 inches locally from Virginia to southeast New England into Friday. Local NWS offices issue any flood watches.
• Typhoon In-fa: expected to turn extratropical over the open Pacific between Thursday and Saturday. JTWC warnings every six hours, plus JMA advisories.
• Central Pacific: a tropical depression is likely to form well southeast of Hawaii. Updates in Central Pacific Hurricane Center outlooks.
• South of Bermuda and off Central America: NHC Tropical Weather Outlooks track both areas; heavy rain is possible in Central America through the weekend.

About this report

This report covers the 24 hours from 7:21 a.m. EST on November 4 to 7:21 a.m. EST on November 5 (12:21 UTC to 12:21 UTC). It draws on USGS, NHC, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, JTWC, NIFC, GDACS, the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program and news reports. Agency figures are preliminary and change as updates arrive. Some agency products, such as the NIFC report, are issued once a day and may lag the window. Casualty figures carry their source.

Glossary

• Extratropical: a storm that has lost its tropical structure and draws energy from contrasts between warm and cold air instead.
• Flash flood emergency: the NWS’s most serious flood alert, used when severe threat to life and catastrophic damage are under way or imminent.
• Preparedness level: NIFC’s 1-to-5 scale of how stretched national firefighting resources are; 1 is the lowest.
• PAGER alert: a USGS estimate of an earthquake’s likely impact, from green (little or none) to red.
• Invest: a weather system that forecasters are watching for possible development into a tropical cyclone.

Frequently asked questions

Will Typhoon In-fa hit Japan? Forecasts keep it over open water. Weathernews, citing JMA data, said its track “does not approach the Japanese mainland,” and JTWC expects it to turn extratropical as it heads northeast.

Was anyone hurt in the Georgia-Tennessee flooding? As of early Thursday, FOX 5 Atlanta said there were no confirmed injuries or deaths. Officials had not released a count of people rescued, so check Fannin County Emergency Management for updates.

Was the earthquake off Northern California dangerous? The magnitude 5.0 struck at sea, about 69 miles off the coast. USGS gave it a green alert, meaning little or no damage is expected, and flagged no tsunami.

Why is the US fire season so far above average if activity is light now? The year-to-date figure counts every acre burned since January. Large fires earlier in the year pushed the 2026 total to 145% of the 10-year average, even though only five large fires remain uncontained.

Sources

Earthquakes

• USGS catalog, magnitude 4.5+, past 24 hours
• USGS event count, all sizes
• USGS catalog, magnitude 6+, Nov 3–4

Storms

• National Hurricane Center
• NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook
• NHC Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook
• Central Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook
• JTWC Western Pacific summary
• JTWC Indian Ocean summary
• JTWC Typhoon 30W (In-fa) warning
• Weathernews: Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa)

Fires

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, Nov 4
• GDACS alert feed

Floods

• WSB-TV: McCaysville evacuation and bridge closures
• FOX 5 Atlanta: north Georgia flash flooding
• CBS News Atlanta: McCaysville state of emergency
• FOX Weather: Flash Flood Emergency at Tennessee-Georgia border
• Xinhua: Cyclone Murasu kills 2 in Andhra Pradesh
• Al Jazeera/Reuters: Cyclone Murasu landfall
• Prameya News: Cyclone Murasu damage
• The Watchers: Brevard County flooding
• GDACS: Philippines flood report

Volcanoes and other hazards

• Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report feed
• The Watchers: Manaro Voui
• The Watchers: Mayon
• The Watchers: Marapi