A violent storm system hit Iceland last week, with high winds and blizzards bringing significant disruption. The storm left thousands without power after gusts of more than 100mph in places and heavy build-ups of snow left some residents snowed in. While its exposed position in the north Atlantic makes Iceland vulnerable to storms, this particular example triggered the Icelandic meteorological service’s highest warning. The central atmospheric pressure of the storm, believed to be about 950 millibars, was similar to that of a category 3 hurricane.
Later in the week, two storm systems swept through southern France bringing strong winds and flooding. Two people died as a direct result of the weather in the south-west, including one in the Lot-et-Garonne. This relatively low-lying area of France is familiar with high wind events, as it has little shelter from low-pressure systems tracking through the Bay of Biscay.
Meanwhile, in Australia this week, heatwave conditions are set to continue across many parts of the country. Temperatures peaked at 40C in Perth on Sunday, more than 10 degrees higher than normal, and weather patterns will help to shift this excessively hot weather towards the eastern population centres as the week continues.
