Scandinavia and Western Europe undergo a combination of extreme cold, snowstorms, and torrential rains across the regions.
The temperature of Scandinavian nations plummet to below -40°C in the Nordic region for two consecutive days. Sweden, in particular, has witnessed its lowest January temperature in 25 years, recording -43.6°C. The severe cold has forced authorities to close schools and disrupt transportation.
Transportation is affected, with bridges closed and key services suspended due to the extreme weather conditions.
Meanwhile, in western Europe, gale-force winds and heavy rain persist. A storm named Henk has proven particularly destructive in Britain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, causing a fatality in Britain when a tree fell on a car in western England.
Storm Henk has left a trail of destruction across the United Kingdom, with power cuts, transport issues, property damage, and widespread disruption reported. Over 300 flood warnings are in place across England and Wales, affecting over 10,000 homes without power. The River Nene in Northampton has reached a critical level, prompting a severe flood alert and evacuations at Billing Aquadrome.
In the Netherlands, strong winds and heavy rains have possibly contributed to the death of a 75-year-old man who fell off his bicycle near Eindhoven. Additionally, a section of a dyke regulating water levels washed away, leading to evacuations of houseboats near Maastricht as water flows into the swollen river Maas.
In France, heavy rains have impacted the northern Pas-de-Calais and Nord regions, prompting the evacuation of approximately 200 people and power outages for 10,000 households. Towns like Blendecques are affected by waterlogged roadways, with residents in flood-alert areas urged to restrict movements until water levels subside.
Emergency workers from France, with reinforcements from Czechia, Slovakia, and the Netherlands, have mobilised for rescues and road clearance. Powerful pumps are being used to divert 60,000 cubic meters of water from the worst-hit towns towards the Channel, aiming to reduce water levels around the Aa River delta.
The national weather service continues to issue flood and wind warnings for several regions across northern France and neighbouring countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany). The forecast predicts more rain and winds up to 100kph in the affected areas. Parts of Germany, particularly the north-western state of Lower Saxony, are also dealing with flooding, potentially worsened by additional rainfall.