Typhoon Lekima is the fourth typhoon to barrel through the western Pacific this week. The typhoon, which briefly strengthened into a super typhoon last week, battered Taiwan with 120mph (193km/h) winds and inundated the northern mountains with 90cm (35in) of rainfall.
Lekima was also the strongest storm in five years to hit China over the weekend. The torrential downpours triggered deadly landslides near Shanghai, as the water pooled over flooded soils. Monsoon-driven floods have submerged the southern peninsula of India, with torrential rainfall in Kerala triggering about 80 landslides.
The monsoon period runs from June to September and usually delivers 70% of India’s annual rainfall, with hours of rain common on most days. Before this week, rainfall totals had been below normal for the monsoon period across the southern peninsula, but have since risen above.
Winter swept through Australia last week as a large and complex area of low pressure dragged cold polar air across south and south-eastern states. Hail, thunderstorms and winds of up to 75mph lashed Victoria, causing Frankston Pier to snap.
Across the alpine high ground of Victoria, 45cm of fresh snow fell within 24 hours, with many New South Wales ski resorts also collecting about 1 metre of snow.
