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Although storms and tropical storms have raged in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, Europe has encountered severe weather of its own. An atmospheric depression that formed over the Mediterranean in the middle of the week moved north-east into the Balkan region on Thursday, bringing broad rain showers, thunderstorms and prolonged precipitation.

Persistent Rainfall and Serious Alerts

This weather pattern is forecast to continue into Friday, with models suggesting 48-hour period accumulations of 80 to 130 millimeters of precipitation across much of the Balkans. Highest-level advisories were issued for the nation of Serbia, south-west Romania, Greece's northeast, and the Dodecanese and North Aegean Islands, highlighting the threat of inundation and danger to residents. High winds also forced the closure of classes on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian archipelago.

Cold Air Contributes Severe Conditions

Frigid temperatures brought in from Eastern European regions increased the seriousness, producing heavy snowfall across the Dinaric Alps, with certain forecasts forecasting accumulations of nearly three feet by the coming weekend.

Previous Flooding in Spain

Earlier in the week, Spain's eastern coast and the Balearic archipelago suffered devastating inundation as the remnants of Hurricane Gabrielle crossed the Iberian region before coming to a halt over the Balearic waters. The city of Valencia and the island of Ibiza were worst affected; Gandia registered over 350 millimeters in 12 hours – over tenfold its typical September rainfall, while Ibiza had 10 inches in a full day, its rainiest day since at least the mid-20th century.

Streets, train stations, public parks, and schools were forced to close, while a rain gauge near the area of Aldaia recorded over two inches in just 35 minutes, leading to the local ravine to overflow. The floods come just shy of a year after destructive flooding in the region in the previous year that caused the death of hundreds of residents.

Tropical Cyclone Bualoi Hits Vietnam

Tropical storm Bualoi arrived onshore across central Vietnam this week, causing heavy rain, powerful gusts, and large swells. More than 300mm of rainfall was recorded within a single day on Monday, causing sudden floods and rock slides that blocked more than 3,000 roads and stranded villages across provinces in the north. Many airplane journeys were cancelled or delayed, and railway services between Hanoi and the southern metropolis were stopped.

Authorities reported 36 deaths and 147 injuries, with 21 persons still missing. Hundreds of thousands of residences were harmed or submerged, with in excess of 126,000 acres of agricultural produce ruined. Vietnam’s government has assessed that the storm has led to over $350 million in economic losses this recent period.