Europe experienced record number of hailstorms in 2022 for the second year in row

Europe experienced record number of hailstorms in 2022 for the second year in row

2022 saw a record-breaking number of hailstorms in Europe with 8 224 large hail reports. That is 2 791 large hail reports more than in 2021, which was already a record-breaking year. France had the most reports with 2 461 and was also the country with the largest economic impact of 4.8 billion €.

Widespread floods across Europe

Widespread floods across Europe

Days of heavy rainfall across Europe have led to severe flooding in parts of Hungary, Serbia, Spain and Kosovo. Footage from these locations showed streets and fields totally submerged.

More than 1 000 heat-related deaths reported in Spain and Portugal

More than 1 000 heat-related deaths reported in Spain and Portugal

The second heatwave to hit Europe since mid-June 2022 has claimed more than 1 000 lives over the past 8 days, with most of them in Portugal. Numerous high temperature records have been broken and more are expected to fall over the next few days. This is the second heatwave to hit Europe since mid-June.

Large temperature contrast during record-breaking June heatwave fuels severe thunderstorms, Europe

Large temperature contrast during record-breaking June heatwave fuels severe thunderstorms, Europe

Large swaths of Europe experienced an early-season heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures more than 40 to 43 °C (104 – 110 °F) and numerous daily, monthly and all-time records broken. As those records were falling, a sharp temperature contrast first observed in the UK and NW Germany, fueled severe thunderstorms which are forecast to impact an area from France to Serbia on June 20 and 21.

Severe thunderstorms, tennis ball-sized hail wreak havoc across France

Severe thunderstorms, tennis ball-sized hail wreak havoc across France

Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain and up to tennis ball-sized hail to France on June 3 and 4, 2022, wreaking havoc in vineyards across large parts of the country, leaving thousands of homes without power, one person dead and 15 injured – two of them seriously.