Devastating tornadoes ripped through central parts of Tennessee this month leaving at least 25 people dead and a trail of destruction to homes and businesses. The storms were the strongest to hit the region in almost a decade, with recorded wind speeds as high as 165mph. Trees were knocked down and power supplies disrupted. John C Tune airport in Nashville also suffered extensive damage, with almost 100 aircraft damaged or destroyed.
Elsewhere, an unusually deep area of low pressure, nicknamed the “dragon” on social media, brought severe disruption to western parts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East last week. The low formed rapidly across Egypt, before moving slowly north-eastwards into Israel and Lebanon, bringing outbreaks of heavy rain and strong winds. Thunderstorms caused particularly severe flooding in parts of Egypt, forcing authorities to shut schools and urge people to remain at home. Latest reports indicate at least 20 people have died, including children.
Meanwhile, research on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has revealed considerable ice loss and acceleration recently due to rising global temperatures. Satellite data indicates both ice sheets are losing mass six times faster than during the 1990s, with an estimated loss of 6.4tn tonnes between 1992 and 2017.