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Typhoon Fengshen made landfall on the eastern Philippine island of Samar today, lashing the islands with heavy rain and winds over 85mph (140 km/h). Storm warnings were already in force for several eastern provinces of the Philippines when Fengshen or “Frank” strengthened into a typhoon.

The Philippine government has today warned residents of the risk of flash floods and landslides. Fengshen is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon bringing heavy rains across Mindanao, the rest of Visayas and then southern Luzon. Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes have been advised to make all necessary precautions against possible flash floods, while coastal areas are at risk of strong storm surges.

Fengshen is the fifth typhoon of this year’s Pacific typhoon season. Several typhoons hit the Philippines each year. The most destructive was Typhoon Thelma in 1991, whose resultant flooding left thousands dead.

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Fengshen is expected to maintain its strength over the next 24hrs as it tracks over very warm waters between the Central Philippine islands en route towards Manila. It is thought that the typhoon will then begin to weaken as it crosses the mountainous terrain of central Luzon on Sunday.

Temperatures have soared across Cyprus with the fire services being put on full alert because of wildfires that have been burning out of control for the past week.

On Friday, temperatures peaked at 41.1C (106F) in the capital, Nicosia, with humidity levels rising, making it very uncomfortable for the city dwellers. Around the coasts, temperatures reached 37C (99F).

Temperatures were around 6C above the seasonal average for June, which prompted people to seek shelter in air-conditioned buildings and stay away from the beaches during the hottest part of the day.

The island is in the grip of a severe drought as there has been very little rainfall over the past few years. Dam levels are at a record low and much of the landscape is tinder-dry and parched. Several wildfires have broken out in the forests of the Troodos Mountain range. Six villages including Vasa, Kellaki and Sanida were evacuated as strong winds fanned the blaze out of control. Dozens of firefighters were injured as they brought the blaze under control. Within the past week, over 15 square miles (24 square kilometres) of forests, fruit orchards and vineyards have been scorched.

Last year, another heatwave across the eastern Mediterranean gave rise to wildfires in Cyprus that destroyed around 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of pine forest, burned property and forced the evacuation of 350 people.

With a hot easterly air flow from the Middle East set to continue, the heatwave is expected to last through much of this coming weekend. Temperatures are likely to return to around normal at the start of next week with humidity levels also easing. Forecasters are concerned, however, that further intense heatwaves are likely to develop during the high summer months of July and August.

Typhoon Fengshen has continued to lash the Philippines over the weekend, bringing torrential rain and strong winds.

The typhoon first made landfall on Friday on the eastern island of Samar, with winds gusting over 85mph (140km/ h). Warnings were issued for the eastern provinces and residents advised of the risk of flash floods and landslides. Through the weekend Fengshen has continued to edge slowly northwest across the central Philippines, striking the capital, Manila on Sunday.

There are fears for over 700 passengers stranded on a ferry capsized by the typhoon off the coast of Sibuyan Island. Meanwhile torrential rain has brought raging floods and triggered landslides across the central Philippines. In Iloilo, thousands of residents have been left stranded on roof tops as a dam overflowed. In the 24 hours up to midnight on Friday, Iloilo recorded 354mm (14 inches) of rain.

The current forecast from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has the typhoon maintaining its strength as it continues across Luzon. It is expected to move out into the South China Sea later today, reaching the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday.

Thunderstorms moving across western USA have sparked further wild fires across northern California, with more than 400 still burning. In Mendocino County along the north coast of the state up to 90 fires continue to burn, with some charring more than 300 acres (121 hectares)

Lightning from the storms ignited many areas, where the vegetation remains dry after four days of intense heat. A severe heat wave continues to grip many western states, which has driven temperatures above 100C (37.8F).

So far this year there have been at least 125 wild fires in Northern California, most of which have been sparked by lightning. The blazes began at the start of the states unofficial fire season in mid-May, following California’s driest two month period on record.

Coastal places are beginning to cool down, but intense hear still grips most of the southwest. Over the next few days the storm system currently heading onshore means the thunderstorms are unlikely to return to the area, giving some hope to the emergency services currently battling the blazes.

Having weakened into a tropical storm, China is now bracing itself for the arrival of Fengshen, which is expected to hit the country’s eastern coast on Wednesday. The storm was a typhoon when it lashed the Philippines over the weekend, with wind speeds gusting up to 120mph (195kph).

Fengshen was downgraded from a typhoon late on Monday, with the storm packing winds of around 74 mph (119 kph) on Tuesday. Torrential downpours have been hitting the southern provinces since the start of the wet season at the end of May, killing at least 175 people in southern China since January. There is concern that further rain in the eastern province of Anhui could exacerbate the problems caused by the floods so far.

China is currently in a brief period of respite, with light winds and scattered showers across much of the country. However the cloud is thickening and over the next 12 hours the storm will bring heavy rain and stronger winds.

Tropical Storm Fengshen has hit China’s southeastern coast, bringing torrential rain and high winds.

The storm made landfall early Wednesday morning in Guangdong province – China’s wealthiest province. Although the storm had weakened before hitting land, strong winds downed trees, forced the closure of schools and disrupted air traffic across the region. Torrential rain over Hong Kong produced flash flooding, with authorities reporting three landslide incidents. Roads were cut off and around 17 people injured.

Fengshen has brought unwelcome rain to a region of southeast China that was severely damaged by flooding earlier this month, when 63 people were killed and 1.6 million evacuated.

Fengshen, which means ‘God of Wind’, wreaked havoc across the Philippines when it was in its stronger typhoon stage, and caused heavy loss of life along with devastation in some places.

Fengshen is continuing to weaken all the time and will push further north into inland China, bringing further heavy downpours to many parts for the rest of today and into tomorrow.

Violent thunderstorms swept across large parts of Austria yesterday evening producing spectacular lightning displays and affecting the television coverage of the Euro 2008 semi final match.

Although the semi final match was played in the Swiss city of Basel, broadcast transmission was cut repeatedly during the second half as violent storms broke out in Vienna, where the International Broadcast Centre for the tournament is located. Internet coverage of the game was also interrupted.

During the height of the storm, torrential rain lashed down causing temporary flash flooding and squally winds gusted to over 60mph (100km/h), prompting officials to shut down Vienna’s main Euro 2008 fan zone and evacuate spectators.

Much of central Europe has seen some very warm weather over the past week with temperatures hitting the low to mid 30s Celsius. Last night’s thundery activity was associated with a trough - a low pressure disturbance in the upper atmosphere. As the pressure falls near and along the trough, convection occurs. When the lower air is also warm and humid, air rises even more rapidly, causing intense showers and thunderstorms to develop.

The warm weather is set to continue across central Europe with further showers and thunderstorms likely over the next few days.

Spain is currently in the grip of a heatwave with temperatures forecast to break the 40C (104F) mark.

An influx of hot air from Africa has sent temperatures soaring over the last few days, with the heat felt as far north as Madrid. On Thursday temperatures reached 36C (97F) in Madrid, but it is further south where temperatures were highest. Cordoba and Seville both reached 39C (102F), with values set to climb further here.

Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) is forecasting temperatures of 41C (106F) today in the Badajoz, Cordoba, Seville and Jaen regions. This has prompted the issue of orange alert warnings (second highest warning) for extreme heat.

This week AEMET declared that they are expecting a hot summer across southern Spain, with temperatures rising one and a half degrees above the seasonal average. Temperatures however are not expected to match those of the 2003 heatwave which caused thousands of deaths across Europe.

Spain is not the only country to be suffering. This week has also seen temperatures soaring across the Mediterranean, in Italy and the western Balkans. Across the Balkans meteorologists warn that the heatwave will be unrelenting over the next few weeks and could see the highest temperatures for a century. In Spain, the hot weather is expected to continue beyond the weekend and into next week.

Severe thunderstorms tore through parts of the US Midwest on Friday, killing two people and cutting power to thousands of homes.

The storms developed along a Squall Line - a line of severe thunderstorms that form along or ahead of a cold front. Cold, dry air moved down from the Rocky Mountains and collided with warm and humid air further south and east. As the air masses collide, violent thunderstorms quickly develop. Yesterday, storms developed over the central and northern plains, the upper Midwest and the Ohio Valley.

In Iowa, severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood watches were issued across the state on Friday. Strong squally winds accompanied the storms with gusts reaching 70mph (113km/h) in some areas. Hailstones the size of tennis ball fell near Earlham, 30 miles southwest of Des Moines. Two teenagers lost their lives when a tree was uprooted by wind and fell on their car during Friday evening.

Much of the Midwest has suffered from weeks of severe weather with torrential rain flooding vast areas of the Mississippi River basin. The recent storms have sent yet more water into the flood-ravaged Midwest, pushing the river levels up again.

The thunderstorms across the Midwest are expected to spread eastwards through the course of the weekend. Cooler and fresher air will move in behind with sunshine likely for much of the Midwest as high pressure builds.

strong winds, heavy rain and snow continue to lash New Zealand over the weekend, prompting the local Met Service to issue a number of warnings. Severe weather warnings have been issued from Northland in the far north, all the way down the eastern coast until Christchurch. Central plateau snow in the north has been affecting roads, with numerous ice warnings being issued.

After a dry start to the month in some northern regions, the recent snow fall has been welcomed across a number of ski resorts. In the resort of Turoa on Mount Ruapehu, they have had their biggest snow base in over 25 years for the time of year, a week before it’s due to open.

Forecasters predict that much of the heavy rain in North Canterbury and Kaikoura will ease over the next 12 hours. However further south in Wellington heavy rain and strong southerly gales are expected to lash the region, gusting up to 87mph (140kph) until late Monday.