Extreme weather across Europe

Powerful Storm Battering Ireland and UK

A powerful frontal boundary blasted across Ireland and the United Kingdom on Friday with gusty winds and heavy rainfall.

Accuweather,

1 February, 2014

The heaviest rainfall fell in London during the evening and overnight hours.

Ahead of and during the frontal passage, winds over 40 mph occurred along with a period of moderate to heavy rainfall.

Flooding is again be a concern as heavy rainfall falling on already saturated ground can quickly renew flooding problems.

Paris had a period of rain later Friday night into Saturday morning before the front pushed farther east.

The front will continue to weaken as it continues eastward across Europe; however, the low pressure center will shift southward, just west of Scotland leading to more unsettled weather for Ireland and the United Kingdom on Saturday.

While squally showers will be common across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland on Saturday, the wind will be the bigger story.

Wind gusts over 50 mph are expected to be common from Northern Ireland through Ireland and into Wales and southwest England. Isolated gusts over 70 mph will be possible in western Ireland and other exposed coastal locations. The highest winds seen in the U.K. was a gust to 84 mph in Aberdaron.

Another concern is that phenomenal waves will batter the coast of Northern Ireland, Ireland and southwest England into Saturday.

Waves over 10 meters (33 feet) are expected, which can lead to widespread coastal flooding and closure of roadways near the coast.

A very stormy pattern is expected to continue through next week across Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile throughout Europe there has been extreme weather, with major floods in Italy, high seas on France's coast and snowstroma in Eastern Europe.

Italy battles floods as bad weather batters Europe

Areas of Italy and France are on flood alert as heavy rain brings chaos to parts of Europe, BBC reports.

Focus,

1 February, 2014

Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes in the Italian city of Pisa as the Arno river threatened to burst its banks on Friday.

High seas are expected to cause widespread flooding along France's Atlantic coast.

Meanwhile, deep snow drifts left dozens of people stranded in Serbia.

Local officials declared a state of emergency and deployed rescue teams to help travellers trapped in their vehicles. Snow storms and strong winds have been sweeping across Eastern Europe.

Italian media said a stretch of medieval wall measuring about 30m (95ft) in the town of Volterra, in the province of Pisa, collapsed as a result of heavy rain.

The French department of Finistere, in the west of the country, was placed on red alert as forecasters warned of huge waves and extensive flooding. Ten other French departments were also on alert for rising water levels.

At least two people died and scores had to be airlifted to safety after floods hit south-eastern France earlier this month.

Severe storms have been battering Europe for much of January.

From RT see also THIS

Families evacuated as Storm Brigid wreaks havoc around country

Families had to be rescued from their homes as the country was hit with gale force winds, heavy rain and serious flooding in several parts.

the Independent,

1 February, 2014

Limerick was among the areas worst hit. Emergency services worked flat out in a number of housing estates where people were left trapped in their homes.

Half a dozen boats were used to rescue several elderly people from the city's Lee housing estate. Fire crews were also involved in a major operation. Ambulances were on standby.

A distressed Ann Pickford and her daughter Audrey Considine (pictured) had to be rescued from their flooded home on Athlunkard Street, Limerick where the Abbey river, a smaller river off the Shannon, burst its banks.

Resident Sean Curtin, who lives on Nicholas Street, said the flooding had caused up to four feet of damage to people homes with Limerick Fire and Rescue forced to evacuate some elderly residents from Athlunkard Street, St Mary’s Park and Lee Estate.

Some residents managed to wade through the water.

In the neighbouring Lahinch area giant waves washed over three storey guest houses on the seafront and huge boulders were swept away into a car park.

With winds gusting at up to 120km/h, (75 mph) Met Eireann issued a status orange weather warning for Munster, Leinster, Connacht and parts of Ulster. At one stage more than 5,500 properties were without power, 4000 of them in Ennis, Co Clare.

Houses near Castlegregory, Co Kerry were cut off when rocks, boulders and other debris blocked the only access road to the Kilshannig area.

Parts of Galway city and Tralee, Co Kerry were also flooded and emergency crews helped provide sandbags and in Cork city, a stretch of the River Lee overflowed its banks.

AA Roadwatch warned drivers to be careful because of the worsening weather and several flights from Dublin Airport to Britain, Paris and Madrid had to be cancelled.