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Once again, Portugal and Spain find themselves battling the aftermath of widespread inundation after Tempest Claudia delivered torrential downpours and strong winds the previous week.

Claudia's Origin and Path

This meteorological event formed from a region of depressed atmospheric pressure that had previously caused early season cold and snowy conditions through the eastern regions of the Canadian territory and the north-eastern United States during the beginning of the eleventh month.

Claudia journeyed east across the Atlantic Ocean during the second weekend of November before slowing and stalling to the north-west of the Spanish and Portuguese landmass, caught in the trough of an ever more meandering air current.

Consequences for the Iberian Peninsula

The northwestern Spanish region of Galicia was the first affected, with 80-150mm of rain coming down along its western coastline in just 24 hours up to Wednesday night as a sluggish front of rain pushed across western parts of the region.

More downpours and stormy weather on Thursday last week caused inundations to Portuguese localities where an older couple died in the city of Lisbon after water from the overflowing Tagus River entered their home as they rested.

Tempestuous weather persisted into the weekend, with a violent whirlwind devastating a camping ground and a adjacent hotel in the town of Albufeira in southern Portugal on the weekend's Saturday, claiming the life of an elderly British lady and harming 28 individuals.

Extended Consequences across Europe

This system triggered more extensive impacts across western Europe. By pulling tropical air from the warmer regions, the system contributed to thermometers climbing in south-west France to 29.8C (85.6F), the state's maximum ever late autumn reading.

By last Friday, this warm and humid air mass clashed with a cold air mass across the northern regions of the continent, generating a band of rain extending from the west of Ireland to the Russian Federation.

In the UK, this stalling band of rain brought very high rainfall totals, causing severe flooding in the Welsh region.

As the storm loses strength early this week, the cold air mass will push south, delivering to Europe its premier experience of the winter season.

Simultaneous Occurrences in the state of California

California underwent an "atmospheric river" recently, causing heavy rain and powerful winds that led to sudden inundations and mudslides in areas affected by forest fires in the recent past.

More than 50mm of rain fell in California's southern part on Friday, with a further 50mm widely across the state on Saturday.

More than 100mm of rain fell over coastal parts of Southern CA in total, hitting 200mm overall in locations at higher elevations.

An atmospheric river is a narrow band of tropical, saturated air originating from the tropical or subtropical regions.

Regions previously burned including Palisades and Altadena region endured the worst of the rapid inundations and mudslides, prompting evacuations.

Elsewhere in California, a 71-year-old man died after his automobile was swept off a inundated overpass, and a child of seven years and her dad were dragged into the ocean by large waves on the the state's central shoreline.