Weather tracker: Tornadoes and giant hail in central US

Spring is the season for severe thunderstorms across the central US, and the start of this week was a particularly active period for the region. A favourable weather pattern fuelled intense thunderstorms on Monday through Wednesday, bringing strong winds, very large hail and strong tornadoes.

Eight tornadoes were reported on Monday, including an EF2 tornado that ripped through the town of Sycamore, Kansas. On Tuesday, a more widespread event tore across the mid-west, most notably as a severe hailstorm moved through Springfield, Missouri.

Hailstones up to 12cm (5in) in diameter fell across the city, causing widespread damage to cars, including cracked or completely shattered windscreens. Dickerson Park zoo on the north side of the city reported the death of Adam, an Emu caught outside during the storm. Early estimates indicate this event will be the costliest hailstorm in the Springfield’s history.

The strongest tornado of the week occurred on Wednesday as an EF3 struck Mineral Wells, Texas, containing wind speeds of up to 145mph (233km/h). The mayor declared a local disaster after five people were injuredand homes and businesses across the town were damaged or destroyed. Tornado Alley residents will be grateful for a quieter period of severe weather, which is expected over the next week.

Forecasted extreme rainfall verified for parts of southern China this week. The heavens opened on Monday and Tuesday as 538mm fell in 12 hours, while peak hourly totals exceeded 147mm in Qinzhou in the south-central autonomous region of Guangxi.

To put these totals into perspective, this area receives about 1,500 annually. Streets were engulfed by flood water that submerged hundreds of vehicles. Five people were stranded in a residential building, and 800 residents had to be evacuated, while emergency personnel forged their way through chest-deep water in the most severely affected districts.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Moscow was hit by a snowstorm that broke weather records. 21cm of snow accumulated overnight, the highest depth measured at this time of year since 1880. The cause of this event can be attributed to a stubborn area of high pressure situated over the North Atlantic, acting as a blockade, forcing Arctic air to plunge southwards into western Russia. The storm felled 740 trees and caused significant delays to air travel with wind gusts exceeding 50mph.