A number of people have lost their lives after become trapped in flood waters.

Residents in Madrid have been asked to stay at home due to “the exceptional and abnormal” rainfall, the city’s mayor said.

The record amounts of rainfall were due to a slow-moving storm.

The rains have caused mudslides on many roads and train services have been suspended in affected areas.

The extreme rain follows a scorching summer in Spain and much of southern Europe. Climate scientists are warning that extreme weather events are becoming far more common due to global warming.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid.

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Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8C (119.8F). A red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna and Florence.

The Cerberus heatwave – named by the Italian Meteorological Society after the three-headed monster that features in Dante’s Inferno – is expected to bring more extreme conditions in the next few days.

It isn’t just Europe that is hot. This summer has seen temperature records smashed in parts of Canada and the US as well as across a swathe of Asia including in India and China.

Sea temperatures in the Atlantic have hit record highs while Antarctic sea ice is at the lowest extent ever recorded.
And it is going to get hotter.

A weather pattern called El Niño is developing in the tropical Pacific. It tends to drive up temperatures by around 0.2C on average.

Add in the roughly 1.1C that climate change has pushed average temperatures up by worldwide and it’s perilously close to the 1.5C threshold the world has agreed to try and keep global temperatures below.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by climate editor Justin Rowlatt.

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Related worksheets, printable resources and ebooks can be accessed for free at ngscience.com.

The weather can be different in many ways. One day it may be warm and sunny. The next day it may be rainy or windy. Occasionally, there may be thunderstorms.

During a thunderstorm there are often strong winds, heavy rain and lightning. Thunderstorms are an example of extreme weather.
Other extreme weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and blizzards.

A hurricane is a rotating storm that forms over the ocean and moves onto land. Hurricanes have very strong winds and precipitation.
Hurricanes often include a series of thunderstorms.
The heavy precipitation and large coastal waves can also cause floods.

A tornado is a rotating column of air that occurs on land, often during a thunderstorm. There are very strong winds. Due to the strong upward movement of air during a tornado, there is little or no rain.
However, precipitation can fall in the form of hail stones.

A blizzard, also called a snow storm, is a cold winter storm with heavy snow, sleet and strong winds. Snow may completely cover roads and buildings.

Extreme weather can be dangerous to people and cause damage to property. Engineers and architects often design buildings and structures to protect people against severe weather.

Discuss extreme weather events that occur in your area. What are some ways people reduce the impact of extreme weather?

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This will be in rolling waves and rounds.

The following excerpts are from Accuweather.

“A storm bearing strong winds, heavy snow, torrential rain, thunderstorms and fog will converge on the Northeast and Midwest on Christmas Eve and will likely create major travel delays, both on the roads and at airports.
The early stages of travel problems from patchy rain and fog will develop on Tuesday. The most widespread travel disruptions and the worst weather conditions in terms of windswept rain and travel-impairing snow will be centered on Christmas Eve.

Problems due to snow and wind will continue in the Upper Midwest and central Appalachians into Christmas Day.

Drenching Rain to Raise Flooding Risk in Northeast
For many people traveling by ground and air, rain will be an inconvenience. However, enough rain can fall at times to cause poor visibility and increase the risk of hydroplaning for those traveling at highway speeds.
Excess water on the roads will reduce the braking action and increase the distance required between vehicles in an emergency situation.
Heavy rainfall in the Midwest will tend to be spotty, but as the storm moves northward on Christmas Eve, heavy rain will become widespread progressing through the mid-Atlantic and New England.

According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity, “We are concerned about rapidly melting snow, combined with heavy rain leading to a stream and river flooding situation in northern New England.”

Strong Winds Could be a Snag for Airline Passengers
One of the most common causes of flight delays is strong winds, especially where they blow perpendicular to runways.
Gusty winds blowing from the south and east may lead to flight delays in the mid-Atlantic, New England and eastern Great Lakes region Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Increasing winds from the west and northwest may cause similar problems throughout the Midwest on Christmas Eve with the risk expanding to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Christmas Day.
The strongest winds are likely in New England Wednesday into Wednesday night, when gusts could reach 60 mph along the coast and over mountains across the interior. Gusts could approach 50 mph around New York City Wednesday into Wednesday evening.
These strong winds can also lead to coastal flooding from the coast of New Jersey all the way up the coast of Maine.
This can result in flooded roadways and properties located along the immediate coast.
Turbulence during and in the wake of the storm could be a problem on some flights.

Strong Thunderstorms May Affect the South
The storm system may become strong enough to produce drenching and gusty thunderstorms in the Deep South.
The concern for these thunderstorms is greatest from eastern Louisiana and Mississippi to Florida and South Carolina.
AccuWeather.com meteorologists will be monitoring the potential for the risk to expand to the eastern Carolinas on Wednesday.

Snow to Create Hazardous Travel in Midwest, Appalachians and Ohio Valley
While much of the South, mid-Atlantic and New England will be spared travel problems from snow with this storm, significant travel delays and dangers will develop in the Midwest and perhaps the Appalachians from Christmas Eve through Christmas Day.
The greatest risk of an all-out snowstorm is over a part of Michigan and central Ontario.
It is during the transition to colder air following rain, when the greatest dangers for travelers may develop farther south.
While not a huge amount of snow is forecast for the Ohio Valley states, the lower Great Lakes and central Appalachians with the storm itself, snow showers or a quick burst of snow could lead to a rapid covering of snow on the highways.
From parts of Illinois, Kentucky and lower Michigan, eastward to western Pennsylvania, western New York and West Virginia, motorists should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions on Christmas Eve. This could occur during the day over the Midwest and toward the central Appalachians as temperatures fall.

A storm bearing strong winds, heavy snow, torrential rain, thunderstorms and fog will converge on the Northeast and Midwest on Christmas Eve and will likely create major travel delays, both on the roads and at airports.
The early stages of travel problems from patchy rain and fog will develop on Tuesday. The most widespread travel disruptions and the worst weather conditions in terms of windswept rain and travel-impairing snow will be centered on Christmas Eve.”

God Bless Everyone,

T

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