But the contrasts could not have been greater.
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On Friday, a tornado swept through the West German city of Paderborn. The wind blew away roofs and knocked down trees. The remains were sent several kilometers away.
At least 30 people were injured, according to Paderborn police. Ten of them seriously.
The authorities advise people to stay indoors. The rest of the country is experiencing heavy rain and hail.
The city of Lippstadt was also badly damaged by the tornado:
At the same time, other European countries are preparing for heat records. A heat wave is now expected in Spain «Extraordinary intensity».
42 degrees and risk of dust storm
On Saturday, temperatures in parts of Spain are expected to exceed 42 degrees. It is between 10 and 15 degrees above the average for the season, writes The Guardian.
Spain is facing one of the hottest months of May in years, according to the country’s meteorological institute Aemet. The cause is a hot, dry air blowing in from Africa. It also carries dust from the Sahara.
That worries the Spanish authorities. They have now activated their national plan for abnormally high temperatures. People are advised to keep a close eye on children, pregnant women and the elderly, as well as chronically ill people.
A spokesman for Aemet warns of “extreme risk” of forest fires in the special, central and northeastern parts of the country. He also says that Spain can expect a new dust cloud from the Sahara.
He therefore asks people to be aware of dust in the air. This will reduce air quality.
–High temperatures in several places
The dust from the Sahara is also expected to blow over Britain, writes The Guardian. On Tuesday, the country experienced the warmest day so far this year, with a maximum temperature of 27.5 degrees.
France is also experiencing abnormally high temperatures. In the last 38 days, they have been above average. In several cities in the south of the country, they are record high.
The temperatures in France do not meet the technical definition of a heat wave. However, they are creating major problems, especially for the country’s farmers. May is, among other things, a crucial time for wheat crops.
India and Pakistan have also experienced record high temperatures in April and May. One recent study from the UK National Weather Service points out that the probability of extreme weather in these countries is increasing. Climate change makes it 100 times more likely.
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