Temperatures soared in western Canada last week, with Lytton in British Columbia recording the highest temperature in the country, a staggering 49.6C. The temperature smashed the previous Canadian record of 45C from 1937, as well as the record for the highest temperature recorded north of 50N latitude – which stood at 44.4C in July 1941. The day after setting the new record, wildfires ripped through Lytton, with 250 people evacuated as winds of more than 40mph helped to fan the flames. Wildfires triggered thunderstorms across the region, too, with more than 710,000 lightning flashes recorded.
Torrential rain on the Pacific coast of Japan triggered a landslide in Atami city on Saturday, with more than 20,000 people evacuated over safety concerns. Atami received nearly 130% of the average monthly rainfall total for July in only 48 hours leading up to the event, with 313mm of rain recorded. Debris flows cascaded down the hillside engulfing homes as the locals watched on in horror.
Hurricane Elsa became the first named hurricane of 2021 and the earliest fifth-named Atlantic storm on record, intensifying into a category 1 hurricane on Friday. Winds gusting 85mph whipped through Barbados; however, the storm was to be short lived, as by Saturday Elsa had weakened into a tropical storm.
