A powerful winter storm has brought blizzards and heavy snowfall to south-eastern Romania, with the capital Bucharest receiving 40cm of snow – far more than the February average of 11cm. The severe weather has caused widespread disruption, with international airports closed and trains delayed by up to six hours. Motorway traffic was also badly affected, and several main routes into the capital were shut after trees and power lines collapsed under the weight of the snow. Around 200,000 households were left without electricity.
Meanwhile, France continues to endure an exceptionally wet winter. Storm Pedro arrived across the south-west on Thursday, following closely behind Storm Nils, which killed two people last week. Pedro brought wind gusts of more than 70mph and a further 50mm of rain in some areas, worsening the already severe flooding caused by weeks of persistent rain. France is in the middle of a record-breaking wet spell: soil moisture is at its highest since measurements began in 1959, and orange or red flood alerts have been in place for more than 30 consecutive days. Relief is expected next week, with high pressure set to halt most rainfall.
In the United States, much of the central and eastern regions experienced temperatures 10-15C above average early this week, giving millions an early taste of spring. In Chicago, temperatures rose above 18C on Monday. However, the warm, dry and windy conditions have fanned fast-moving wildfires in parts of Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma, burning tens of thousands of acres. In Pueblo, Colorado, gusts of over 60mph caused a 30-vehicle pile-up that killed five people, while dust kicked up by the winds dramatically reduced visibility.
