Western Europe warned fresh storms on the way

Terra Daily, via Agence France-Presse: Seven European countries issued severe weather warnings Tuesday as the World Meteorological Organisation warned about storms that have already battered Britain and France. Britain, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, France and Germany all issued "orange" warnings as winds of up to 125 kilometres (78 miles) per hour are expected to cause severe disruption later Tuesday and into Wednesday, the WMO said in a statement.

Spain meanwhile issued a "red" warning, with waves reaching a height of nine metres (29.5 feet) in the northwestern Coruna regions due to strong winds. Britain has already been badly hit by the storms, which have caused massive travel disruption and left thousands of homes without power. A spokesman for airports operator BAA said that 115 flights from London's Heathrow Airport had been cancelled by Monday evening. The British Met Office forecast another swathe of severe westerly gales to affect parts of the country on Tuesday night and the first half of Wednesday, and advised the public to take care amid the risk of flash floods. In France, the northern regions of Normandy, Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais could see winds up to 133 kilometres per hour, the WMO warned.

Map of Europe by David Liuzzo, Wikimedia Commons