Daily Earthquakes, Storms, Fires & Floods Report — October 18, 2026

By Paul Harrison, Orbis Weather

Sunday, October 18, 2026. This report covers the 24 hours from 7:20 a.m. EDT on Saturday, October 17, to 7:20 a.m. EDT on Sunday, October 18 (11:20 UTC to 11:20 UTC). Super Typhoon Champi passed just south of Guam overnight, and Hurricane Trudy brought hurricane warnings to Mexico’s Pacific coast. Earthquakes were quiet, with nothing above magnitude 5.2, and no new deadly flood was confirmed in the window.

At a glance

Storms dominated the day. Champi became a super typhoon as its eye passed about 10 miles (16 km) south of Guam, while Hurricane Trudy moved along Mexico’s southwest coast. The rest of the picture was calm by comparison.

• Storms: Super Typhoon Champi passed south of Guam at 4:26 a.m. Sunday local time with 150 mph (241 km/h) winds; preliminary reports show no widespread significant damage. Hurricane Trudy (105 mph, 165 km/h) has a hurricane warning from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Cyclone Wati is strengthening near the Cook Islands. A nor’easter is flooding parts of the North Carolina Outer Banks.
• Earthquakes: Five quakes of magnitude 4.5 or more, the largest two at M5.2 off southern Mexico and in eastern Indonesia. No damage or tsunami was reported. USGS listed 208 quakes of all sizes.
• Fires: The US is at National Preparedness Level 1 of 5. In Orange County, California, the 570-acre Norte Fire is 25% contained and evacuation orders have been lifted, but seven homes were damaged or destroyed.
• Floods: No new deadly flood was confirmed. Coastal flooding hit North Carolina, and Trudy threatens flash floods and mudslides in Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco.
• Volcanoes: Indonesia’s Krakatau was raised to Alert Level 3 of 4 on October 9, according to the latest weekly volcano report.

National weather services and local authorities issue the official warnings. Follow them for decisions about safety.

Earthquakes

It was a quiet day for earthquakes. The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded five events of magnitude 4.5 or greater, none above 5.2, and none carried a PAGER alert or a tsunami flag.

Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Magnitudes and locations are preliminary and can be revised.

What stands out

• The two largest events, both M5.2, were shallow (10 km). One struck off Mexico’s Pacific coast near the Guatemala border, the other off western Flores in eastern Indonesia. Neither had felt reports or a PAGER alert in the catalog.
• Three of the five events were in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, part of the active Pacific “Ring of Fire.”
• The Bolivia and Papua New Guinea quakes were intermediate-depth (124 to 189 km). Quakes this deep usually cause weaker shaking at the surface than shallow ones of the same size.

Total count. USGS listed 208 earthquakes of all magnitudes worldwide in the window.

Just outside the window. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck 76 km (47 mi) NE of Ozernovskiy on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula at 03:35 UTC on October 16, at a depth of 135 km (84 mi). USGS gave it a green PAGER alert, meaning little or no damage was expected. A magnitude 5.7 quake also hit Pakistan at 05:06 UTC on October 17, about six hours before the window opened; GDACS rated it green.

The USGS catalog and count were searched at about 11:21 UTC (7:21 a.m. EDT) on October 18, using a start time of 11:20 UTC on October 17.

Storms

Three tropical cyclones are active, and two of them threaten land. Super Typhoon Champi is moving away from Guam into the Philippine Sea, and Hurricane Trudy is close to Mexico’s southwest coast. A nor’easter is also stalled off North Carolina.

JTWC winds are 1-minute averages. The figures above will be replaced by newer advisories within hours.

Super Typhoon Champi: Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

Champi’s eye passed about 10 miles south of Guam’s southern tip at 4:26 a.m. Sunday local time (18:26 UTC Saturday), the Guam Daily Post reported, citing the National Weather Service (NWS) in Guam. The storm reached the super typhoon threshold of 150 mph sustained winds at about that time.

• Observed conditions: Gusts at the airport reached 80 to 85 mph (129 to 137 km/h). Gauges at the airport, Apra Harbor and Pago Bay did not record the 74 mph sustained winds needed for typhoon conditions. Rainfall was 1 to 3 inches (25 to 76 mm) by midday.
• Damage: Preliminary reports show “no widespread significant damage,” per the Post. The far south of the island had not been assessed. NWS planned a damage survey on Monday.
• Warnings (as reported by the Post on Sunday): The Typhoon Warning remained in effect for Guam and Rota. Coastal flood and high surf warnings run until 4 a.m. Monday, with surf of 18 to 25 feet (5.5 to 7.6 m) on east- and south-facing reefs. The tropical storm warning and typhoon watch for Tinian and Saipan were canceled at 11 a.m. Guam remains in Condition of Readiness 1 until the governor announces otherwise.
• Shelters: More than 730 people were in shelters across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, PMN Newsreported.
• Before the pass: On Saturday, NWS Guam issued an Extreme Wind Warning for far southern Guam for winds of 115 to 135 mph, FOX Weather reported. The eye stayed offshore, which spared the island the strongest winds.

What comes next. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecasts Champi to strengthen to 140 knots (161 mph, 259 km/h) by Monday and stay near that strength through Wednesday. None of its five-day forecast positions are over land. The last point, for 0000 UTC October 23, is at 21.8N 124.1E over the western Philippine Sea. Residents of the northern Philippines, Taiwan and Japan’s southern islands should follow their national weather services.

Hurricane Trudy: southwest Mexico

As of NHC advisory 20 (2 a.m. MST, 0900 UTC, Sunday), Trudy had sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h), a Category 2 hurricane. The next complete advisory was due at 8 a.m. MST; newer advisories replace these figures.

• Hurricane Warning: coast of Mexico from Manzanillo northward to Cabo Corrientes.
• Hurricane Watch: south of Manzanillo to Punta San Telmo.
• Tropical Storm Warning: south of Manzanillo to Punta San Telmo; north of Cabo Corrientes to San Blas; Las Islas Marias.
• Wind: “Hurricane conditions, especially in gusts, are likely in the Hurricane Warning area this morning,” NHC said. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center.
• Rain: 4 to 8 inches (100 to 200 mm), with isolated totals near 12 inches (300 mm), in Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco through the weekend. NHC warned this “may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas along steep terrain.” Guerrero and Nayarit could see 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 mm), locally 6 inches (150 mm).
• Storm surge: “A dangerous storm surge accompanied by damaging waves is likely in areas of onshore winds within the warning areas.”
• Surf: Swells will cause life-threatening surf and rip currents along southwestern and west-central Mexico.

NHC’s forecast keeps the center offshore. Trudy may strengthen a little this morning, then weaken rapidly. It is forecast to drift slowly south of Baja California Sur on Monday and Tuesday and become a remnant low by Tuesday. The Associated Press, via KIRO 7, reported that Colima authorities called the risks low but warned that soil is already saturated from earlier storms. No deaths or injuries had been reported in the sources reviewed.

Cyclone Wati: Cook Islands

Wati is a Category 2 cyclone and is expected to become a severe Category 3 on Sunday, PMN News reported. Forecasters expect the eye to stay over open water. Heavy rain, squally thunderstorms and dangerous swells are forecast. Emergency Management Cook Islands has activated its protocols, and the two rangers on Suwarrow are reported safe. GDACS issued an orange alert, estimating that 4,982 people could see Category 1 winds or stronger.

Nor’easter: North Carolina Outer Banks

A nearly stationary coastal storm off North Carolina is bringing coastal flooding, high surf and gusty winds, and impacts may last into the middle of the week, WITN reported on Sunday morning.

• Evacuation: Dare County ordered all visitors to leave Hatteras Island from 8 p.m. EDT on October 16, The Watchers reported. Residents were not ordered out.
• Coastal flooding: NWS Newport/Morehead City has a Coastal Flood Warning until 8 a.m. EDT Tuesday, October 20, for 2 to 4 feet of inundation above ground and 8 to 14 feet of breaking surf. WITN gives 2 to 4 feet from Rodanthe to Hatteras Point, 2 to 3 feet from Kitty Hawk to the Virginia line, and 1 to 2 feet on the sound side near Oriental and New Bern.
• Wind: Gusts of 40 to 50 mph (64 to 80 km/h), per WITN. Seas offshore are 12 to 18 feet or higher.
• Roads: Overwash is likely on N.C. Highway 12 on Hatteras Island, which could close for an extended period, according to Dare County.

The National Hurricane Center gives the low a 30% chance of subtropical development over seven days. It says high winds, coastal flooding and dangerous surf will hit the East Coast either way.

Elsewhere

The Atlantic and Central Pacific have no tropical cyclones. In the eastern Pacific, NHC gives an area well offshore of southern Mexico an 80% chance of becoming a tropical depression within seven days, likely around the middle of the week.

Fires

US fire activity is low nationally, but Southern California’s first Santa Ana wind event of the season left two large fires near the Orange and San Diego county line. The national picture comes from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) situation report dated Saturday, October 17, at 7:30 a.m. MDT, which predates most of this window.

United States

Fires to know

Sources: NIFC situation report; Norte Fire figures from NBC Los Angeles.

Norte Fire. The fire started near Portico Del Norte in San Clemente at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 16, NBC Los Angeles reported. About 16,000 people were under evacuation orders at the peak, according to Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Chief TJ McGovern. By 6 p.m. Saturday, all orders in both cities had been lifted, except on Via La Mirada north of Calle Esperanza, where residents may check their homes but not stay. OCFA said seven homes in San Juan Capistrano, mostly on Via La Mirada, were damaged or destroyed. Two firefighters were taken to hospital with significant injuries and are in stable condition. The cause is under investigation. NIFC’s Saturday morning report listed the fire at 465 acres and 0% contained, figures since overtaken by OCFA’s update.

Henderson Fire. NIFC lists 2,079 acres and 20% containment, with an estimated containment date of October 19. The fire closed Interstate 5 in both directions on October 15 before it reopened that evening, The Watchers reported. Winds have eased since Friday, and the red flag warning in the area ran until 8 p.m. Saturday.

Fires elsewhere

• Australia: GDACS issued green alerts for at least six large fires in Australia between October 15 and 18. The largest burned an estimated 11,676 hectares (28,852 acres) and another 10,104 hectares (24,967 acres). GDACS estimated no people affected by any of them.
• Indonesia: Four people died and two were seriously burned while fighting a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, on October 15, before this window, The Watchers reported, citing the Ministry of Forestry. The local disaster agency said fire was still active at Pusung Lingker and Mount Ringgit on October 16.

Floods

No new deadly flood was confirmed anywhere in the window. The most serious flooding now under way is storm-driven: coastal flooding on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, with 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 m) of water possible on Hatteras Island under an NWS Coastal Flood Warning. The largest flood risk over the next day is in southwest Mexico, where Hurricane Trudy could bring up to 12 inches (300 mm) of rain to steep terrain (see Storms).

Libya toll. The two Tripoli figures differ. The Watchers reported that the government identified two victims, and that reports of three or four deaths were not confirmed by any local authority. Gulf News reported at least three deaths.

Nepal. The head of the UN Office for Project Services told AFP on Saturday that the floods should be “a defining moment” for climate action. Reconstruction is estimated at US$4.78 billion. No new casualty figures were reported in the window.

Also today

No major eruption or tsunami was reported in the window. The latest Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, covering October 8 to 14, lists four volcanoes with new activity and 23 with continuing eruptions.

New activity (week of October 8 to 14)

• Krakatau, Indonesia: Indonesia’s volcano agency (PVMBG) raised the Alert Level to 3 (on a scale of 1 to 4) on October 9 after low-level activity increased. Ash rose about 50 m (160 ft) above the crater. The public was told to stay 5 km (3 mi) from the summit.
• Manam, Papua New Guinea: The Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre reported ash plumes to 2.1 km (7,000 ft) above sea level.
• Marapi, Indonesia: An eruptive event at 00:02 local time on October 13 was recorded by seismometers but hidden by weather. The Alert Level remained at 2 (of 4), with a 3 km (2 mi) exclusion zone.
• Nevados de Chillán, Chile: An ash plume rose 860 m (2,820 ft) above the summit on October 8. The Alert Level remained Yellow, the second-lowest of four.

Continuing activity. The 23 volcanoes include Kanlaon (Philippines), Etna and Stromboli (Italy), Kilauea (Hawaii), Great Sitkin (Alaska), Popocatépetl (Mexico), Fuego (Guatemala), Merapi and Semeru (Indonesia) and Aira (Japan). Kilauea and Great Sitkin are at Aviation Color Code Orange and Volcano Alert Level Watch. Popocatépetl sent ash 6.1 to 7.3 km (20,000 to 24,000 ft) above sea level and was at Yellow, Phase Two. Kanlaon produced a plume 5 to 6 km (3 to 4 mi) above its summit on October 10.

Tsunami. None of the earthquakes in the window carried a USGS tsunami flag.

What to watch in the next 24 hours

The main risks over the next day are Trudy’s rain in southwest Mexico, the stalled nor’easter on the Outer Banks, and Champi’s further strengthening over open water.

• Watch for the first damage reports from Mexico’s Colima and Jalisco coast once daylight surveys begin.
• NWS Guam plans its damage assessment of southern Guam on Monday.
• In the eastern Pacific, a new low south of Mexico has an 80% chance of forming within seven days.
• Thailand’s heavy-rain warning runs from October 18 to 25, starting in the south and east.

About this report

This report gathers official agency data and checked news reports on the past day’s natural hazards into one page. It does not replace official warnings.

Sources by hazard

• Earthquakes: the USGS earthquake catalog (events of magnitude 4.5 and above, and a count of all sizes), with GDACS for impact estimates.
• Storms: the National Hurricane Center (Atlantic and eastern Pacific), the Central Pacific Hurricane Center outlook, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (western Pacific, Indian Ocean and South Pacific), with local news for impacts.
• Fires: the NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, GDACS wildfire alerts, and local news for evacuations.
• Floods: national disaster agencies and news reports, The Watchers, and GDACS.
• Volcanoes: the Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report.

How the 24 hours are counted. The window runs from 11:20 UTC on October 17 to 11:20 UTC on October 18 (7:20 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. EDT). Earthquake times are in UTC. Storm advisories are given in the issuing agency’s time, with UTC alongside. Events just before the window are labeled as such.

Glossary

• Magnitude (mb, Mww): a measure of the energy an earthquake releases. Mww (moment magnitude) is the most reliable for larger events; mb (body-wave magnitude) is a quick estimate often used for moderate quakes.
• Depth: how far below the surface the quake started. Shallow quakes (under about 70 km) usually shake the surface harder.
• PAGER alert: a USGS estimate of likely deaths and losses. Green means little or no impact expected.
• Super typhoon: the JTWC term for a typhoon with sustained winds of at least 130 knots (150 mph).
• Knot (kt): one nautical mile per hour, about 1.15 mph or 1.85 km/h.
• Category (hurricane): the Saffir-Simpson scale from 1 to 5. Category 2 covers sustained winds of 96 to 110 mph.
• Storm surge: a rise in sea level pushed ashore by a storm’s winds.
• Coastal Flood Warning: an NWS alert that coastal flooding is occurring or imminent.
• Condition of Readiness 1 (COR 1): Guam’s highest storm readiness level, used when damaging winds are possible within 12 hours.
• Preparedness Level (PL): NIFC’s 1-to-5 scale of how stretched US firefighting resources are. PL 1 means low demand.
• Containment: the share of a fire’s edge that crews have secured with a control line.
• GDACS alert (green, orange, red): the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System’s estimate of an event’s likely humanitarian impact.
• Aviation Color Code: a four-color scale (green, yellow, orange, red) that warns aircraft about volcanic ash.

Limits. Figures are preliminary and change quickly, especially storm positions, fire sizes and casualty counts. The NIFC report is dated October 17 and predates most of the window. The volcano report covers October 8 to 14. Flood reporting from remote areas can lag by days. Damage assessments for southern Guam and coastal Mexico were not yet available.

Frequently asked questions

Did Super Typhoon Champi hit Guam directly? No. Its eye passed about 10 miles south of Guam’s southern tip at 4:26 a.m. Sunday local time, according to NWS Guam via the Guam Daily Post. The strongest winds stayed offshore, and airport gusts peaked at 80 to 85 mph.

How bad is the damage on Guam? Preliminary reports show no widespread significant damage, according to the Guam Daily Post. The far south of the island had not yet been assessed, and NWS planned a survey on Monday. The Typhoon Warning was still in effect for Guam and Rota on Sunday.

Where is Champi going next? JTWC forecasts it to move west-northwest across the Philippine Sea and strengthen to about 161 mph (140 kt). Its five-day forecast track stays over water through October 23. People in the northern Philippines, Taiwan and southern Japan should follow their national weather services.

Will Hurricane Trudy make landfall in Mexico? NHC’s forecast keeps the center just offshore, but hurricane conditions are likely along the coast from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes this morning. The bigger danger is rain of up to 12 inches (300 mm), which could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Trudy is forecast to weaken rapidly from later today.

Is the nor’easter a hurricane threat to the US East Coast? No tropical cyclone is active in the Atlantic. NHC gives the coastal low a 30% chance of becoming subtropical within seven days. Either way, it is already causing coastal flooding and dangerous surf on the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Were there any large earthquakes? Not in this window. The largest were two magnitude 5.2 events, off southern Mexico and in eastern Indonesia, with no reported damage. The most recent magnitude 6 or larger quake was a 6.9 under Kamchatka, Russia, on October 16.

Is the US fire season over? Nationally, activity is low, with the Preparedness Level at 1 of 5. Southern California is the exception, at level 3, after Santa Ana winds drove the Norte and Henderson fires. This year has already seen 143% of the 10-year average for acres burned.

Where can I get official warnings? Use your national weather service and local emergency managers. For the storms in this report, those are NWS Guam, the US National Hurricane Center, Mexico’s national weather service, the Cook Islands Meteorological Service and NWS Newport/Morehead City.