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Portugal and Spain are once more battling the aftermath of significant inundation after Tempest Claudia delivered heavy rain and strong winds over the past seven days.

Claudia's Origin and Path

This weather system originated from a region of depressed atmospheric pressure that had previously ushered in unseasonably early chilly and snowy weather through the eastern sectors of Canada and the American north-east in early November.

Claudia moved eastward across the Atlantic Ocean over the second weekend of November before decelerating and halting to the northwestern area of the Spanish and Portuguese landmass, caught in the trough of an increasingly amplified atmospheric river.

Consequences for Iberia

The northwestern Spanish region of Galicia was hit first, with three to six inches of rain coming down along its west coast in just a single day up to Wednesday evening as a sluggish front of rain pushed across western parts of the Iberian peninsula.

Additional rainfall and electrical storms on Thursday brought flooding to areas in Portugal where an elderly couple died in the capital Lisbon after water from the overflowing Tagus River flooded their dwelling as they rested.

Unsettled atmospheric states lasted through the weekend, with a tornado ripping through a outdoor lodging area and a adjacent hotel in Albufeira in the Algarve region on Saturday last week, killing an elderly British lady and injuring 28 people.

Extended Consequences across Europe

The storm produced wider effects across western Europe. By pulling tropical air from the warmer regions, the system contributed to thermometers climbing in southwestern France to 29.8C (85.6F), the country's highest recorded November temperature.

By the following Friday, this warm and humid air mass met a chilly atmospheric body across the northern areas of Europe, creating a precipitation zone extending from Ireland's west to Russia.

In the Britain, this stalling band of rain produced very high rainfall totals, resulting in major inundations in the Welsh region.

As this weather phenomenon continues to weaken at the start of the week, the frigid air will move towards the south, delivering to Europe its premier experience of the winter season.

Parallel Events in California

California underwent an "atmospheric river" last week, causing torrential rain and powerful winds that provoked flash flooding and mudslides in areas impacted by blazes previously in the year.

In excess of 50 millimetres of rain fell in California's southern part on last Friday, with a further 50mm across extensive areas of California on Saturday last.

In excess of 100 millimetres of rain fell over coastal parts of Southern CA in total, reaching eight inches in total in locations at higher elevations.

An atmospheric river is a concentrated stream of tropical, saturated air stemming from the equatorial or near-equatorial zones.

Regions previously burned including the Pacific Palisades area and the town of Altadena experienced the most intense the sudden floods and earth movements, prompting evacuations.

In other parts of the state, a elderly male lost his life after his automobile was washed off a submerged bridge, and a child of seven years and her parent were swept into the Pacific by powerful waves on the Central Coast.