By AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Jun. 24, 2021 10:43 AM AKDT
Impressive displays of stormy weather have repeatedly hit parts of western and central Europe over the past week, producing not just frequent lightning but also flooding, hail and tornadoes. While the region could use a break, more storminess is likely to end the month of June.
"Round after round of severe weather has hit countries from Spain and France to Germany and Poland over the past week," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
Initially, the rain, thunderstorms and cooler conditions that approached the region on June 17 were a welcome change for residents, who had spent the previous week battling extreme heat.
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But, as AccuWeather forecasters predicted several days in advance, the thunderstorms that swept through the area turned violent.
Enough hail piled up on the streets of Ribes de Freser, Spain, that it looked like the region had been hit by a winter storm. Communities were forced to shovel inches of hail off of walkways. Reports of gusty winds spanned from Toulouse, France, on northward to the outskirts of Paris and Amsterdam through June 18.
In just four day's time, the Paris region picked up about 3 inches (75 mm) of rain, just half of an inch shy of normal rainfall for the city during the whole month of June.
More severe weather slammed parts of France, Belgium and Germany. This includes reports of several tornadoes, as well as massive hail stones, up to 2.5 inches (6 cm) in size that shattered car windshields and windows.
The rain and hail came down so hard, that visibility was significantly reduced for drivers in the Tarn region of France, forcing cars to pull over.
Thunderstorms again targeted parts of France and Germany during the middle of this week with both heavy rain and hail, prompting additional watches and warnings from Meteo France, the country's national meteorological service.
On Wednesday, June 23, a vaccination center was flooded in Tuebingen, Germany, while at least five people were injured by hail the size of tennis balls in the nearby town of Reutlingen, The Associated Press reported. All vaccination appointments scheduled for Thursday were canceled, the AP said.
Floodwaters near Lyon, France, were covered in a blanket of floating hail, making it look more like February than June.
Hail and flash floods hit the the streets of Decines-Charpieu near Lyon, France, on June 23, 2021 (Twitter @ant_steyer/Antoine Steyer via REUTERS).
Heavy rain and hail also blasted parts of Germany on Wednesday evening, including the Baden-Württemberg area.
Severe weather shifted into Poland on Thursday, bringing gusty winds and several tornado reports.
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As June comes to a close, not much of a break is in store for the areas hit hardest by the stormy weather.
"A storm will stall just off the coast of western France this weekend and into Monday, allowing for round after round of wet weather for parts of northern Spain, France and southern England," Roys explained.
While widespread severe weather is not expected with this storm, small hail and brief periods of strong wind gusts could be possible throughout the weekend. The most widespread impact is forecast to be heavy downpours.
Should the storms strike the same areas repeatedly, flash flooding, and even creek or stream flooding, would be a concern.
The additional stormy weather forecast this weekend through early next could end up pushing the total rainfall high enough to be 200% of normal for the entire month of June for Paris, according to Roys.
The wet weather and increased cloud cover is expected to keep any extreme heat at bay across western Europe until at least the start of July. However, extreme heat continues threaten portions of eastern Europe, including Moscow.
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