On Monday, a tornado swept through Val-d’Oise in northern France, causing widespread damage across several districts. The town of Ermont, about 12 miles (20km) north-east of Paris, was worst affected. Construction cranes toppled, buildings were damaged, and trees uprooted. One person was killed and four others were critically injured.
The same day, heavy showers hit parts of the UK, with reports of a possible tornado in Dereham, Norfolk. Several homes were damaged, though no injuries were reported.
Later in the week, northern France faced further severe weather as Storm Benjamin, a deep Atlantic low-pressure system, brought heavy rain and strong winds. Meteo-France placed Paris and nearby regions under yellow-orange alerts, with coastal gusts reaching 70mph. More than 100,000 homes lost power, and rainfall totals climbed to 40mm in 24 hours.
Australia endured ferocious winds midweek as a low-pressure system moved east from South Australia into Victoria. Gusts of up to 75mph caused major power outages across Melbourne and felled hundreds of trees. Two people died in violent surf at Melbourne Beach, prompting the cancellation of the Geelong Cup.
There was record-breaking October heat in New South Wales and south-west Queensland, with Sydney reaching 39C on Wednesday – its seventh day this month above 30C and 15C above the average maximum temperature for October. The combination of heat and wind has heightened wildfire risks, and fire bans have been imposed.
In the Caribbean, a strong tropical disturbance strengthened into Tropical Storm Melissa on Tuesday, becoming the 13th named storm of the season. Moving slowly northward towards Haiti and Jamaica, the storm has triggered alerts for heavy rain and storm-force winds across these countries. Forecasters say it could develop into a hurricane over the weekend.
after newsletter promotion
Meanwhile, South Africa experienced intense heat, with temperatures reaching the mid-30s across many regions. East London hit 35C on Thursday – 7C to 10C above seasonal norms. While cooler, cloudier conditions arrived in the south-west by Thursday, the Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape continued to swelter. The heat is expected to ease gradually into the weekend.
