Severe Weather Sweeps Europe as Cyclone Narelle Hits Australia
A significant low-pressure system has triggered severe weather warnings across southern Europe this week, bringing unsettled conditions, including rain, snow, and strong winds. This system, which previously contributed to colder weather in the UK, moved southward, affecting western and central Europe with a cold front.
Impact on European Regions
In the Alps, spells of rain and hill snow occurred on Wednesday, followed by snow showers driven by brisk north-westerly winds. By Friday morning, accumulations of 20-40 cm were expected above 600 meters, with 60-100 cm above 1,000 meters in the Swiss Alps.
The low-pressure center became established in the Adriatic Sea on Thursday, causing sharp and thundery showers, heavy rain, sleet, hill snow, and strong winds in surrounding countries. Croatia was particularly affected, with forecasts predicting 15-50 cm of widespread heavy snowfall in the Gospić region, alongside risks of blizzard conditions and snowdrifts due to strong north-easterly winds.
At Rijeka international airport, a gust of nearly 70 mph was recorded, likely from the cold, dense katabatic bora wind. Although conditions were expected to ease by Friday, weather warnings remained in place for Croatia and Slovenia, with peak gusts forecasted up to 100 mph by national weather agencies.
Cyclone Narelle's Path in Australia
Meanwhile, Cyclone Narelle has impacted much of northern Australia this week. Forming in the south-west Pacific Ocean on March 15, it quickly strengthened to a category 4 storm on the Saffir Simpson scale, with gusts exceeding 165 mph off the coast of Queensland.
After making landfall the following day, Narelle embarked on a rare circumnavigation of Australia, traversing the entire northern coast before re-emerging over the Indian Ocean on Tuesday. Tropical cyclone landfalls are common on both Australian coasts, but the last storm to survive an east-to-west journey was Cyclone Steve in 2000.
Narelle re-intensified to category 4 strength on Thursday as it turned southward toward the North West Cape of Australia. The storm's final leg will occur on Friday as it moves inland through Western Australia near Perth, the territory's capital.
