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Although tempests and hurricanes have churned in the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific, Europe has encountered extreme conditions of its own. A weather disturbance that formed over the Mediterranean Sea midweek traveled north-east into south-eastern European countries on Thursday afternoon, causing broad showers, electrical storms and lengthy precipitation.

Ongoing Precipitation and Serious Warnings

This weather pattern is predicted to continue into Friday and beyond, with weather models showing 48-hour period totals of 80-130mm of rain across much of the Balkans. Red weather warnings were declared for Serbia, south-west Romania, northeastern Greece, and the Aegean island groups, highlighting the risk of flooding and risk to human safety. Powerful gusts also forced the closure of classes on Zakynthos in the Ionian archipelago.

Chilly Air Contributes Severity

Frigid temperatures pulled in from Eastern European regions increased the severity, causing deep snow across the Alpine region, with certain forecasts predicting accumulations of up to 80cm by the weekend's end.

Previous Inundation in Spain

Earlier in the week, the eastern part of Spain and the Balearic Islands suffered severe flooding as the remnants of the former hurricane crossed the Iberian region before stalling over the nearby sea. The city of Valencia and the island of Ibiza were most impacted; Gandia recorded 14 inches in 12 hours – over tenfold its September average, while Ibiza had 254mm in a full day, its rainiest day since at least the mid-20th century.

Roads, train stations, green spaces, and schools were compelled to shut down, while a rain gauge near Aldaia measured 57 millimeters in just 35 minutes, leading to the La Saleta waterway to overflow. The flooding come almost a year after devastating inundations in Valencia in 2024 that caused the death of more than 230 people.

Tropical Cyclone Bualoi Affects Vietnam

Tropical storm Bualoi struck the coast across the central part of Vietnam this recent days, delivering heavy rain, strong winds, and huge sea swells. In excess of 12 inches of rainfall was recorded within a 24-hour period on Monday morning, triggering rapid flooding and landslides that closed over 3,000 highways and stranded villages across the northern regions. Many airplane journeys were halted or rescheduled, and train operations between Hanoi and the southern metropolis were suspended.

Authorities reported 36 fatalities and 147 casualties, with 21 individuals still lost. More than 210,000 houses were harmed or submerged, with in excess of 126,000 acres of rice and other crops destroyed. Vietnam’s government has estimated that the typhoon has resulted in in excess of £260 million in property damage this past week.