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Portugal and Spain are once more recovering from widespread inundation following Tempest Claudia unleashed torrential downpours and strong winds over the past seven days.

The Storm's Origin and Path

This meteorological event developed from a low-pressure zone that had previously ushered in unseasonably early cold and snowy conditions through eastern parts of Canada and the north-eastern US in early November.

The system tracked eastwards across the Atlantic Ocean during the second weekend of November before slowing and stalling to the northwestern area of the Iberian region, snared in a dip of an ever more meandering atmospheric river.

Impact on Spain and Portugal

Galicia in north-west Spain was the first affected, with three to six inches of rain pouring down along its Atlantic coast in just one full day up to Wednesday evening as a slow-moving band of rain pushed across western parts of the Iberian peninsula.

Additional rainfall and electrical storms on Thursday last week caused inundations to areas in Portugal where a senior pair died in Lisbon after water from the overflowing Tagus River flooded their dwelling as they rested.

Unsettled atmospheric states lasted through the weekend, with a violent whirlwind ripping through a campsite and a adjacent hotel in the town of Albufeira in southern Portugal on the weekend's Saturday, claiming the life of an British woman aged 85 and harming 28 people.

Wider Effects across Europe

Claudia had more extensive impacts across the western European nations. By siphoning heated air from the subtropics, the system assisted in raising temperatures in southwestern France to 29.8C (85.6F), the country's highest recorded late autumn reading.

By the following Friday, this warm and humid air mass met a cold air mass across more northern parts of Europe, forming a rainfall belt running from western Ireland to Russia.

In the UK, this halting system of rain brought record-breaking rain accumulations, resulting in severe flooding in Wales.

As Claudia continues to weaken in the coming days, the frigid air will advance southward, delivering to Europe its initial glimpse of the winter season.

Related Incidents in California

The Golden State underwent an "atmospheric river" recently, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds that led to rapid flooding and mudslides in areas affected by blazes in the recent past.

More than 50mm of rain poured down in California's southern part on the week's end, with a another 50 millimetres across extensive areas of California on Saturday last.

Over four inches of rain fell over coastal areas of southern California in all, attaining a full 200 millimetres in locations at higher elevations.

An atmospheric river is a concentrated stream of hot, humid air originating from the tropical or subtropical regions.

Locations with fire damage including Palisades and Altadena region endured the most severe the flash flooding and earth movements, prompting evacuations.

Across California, a 71-year-old man passed away after his car was carried away from a submerged bridge, and a young girl aged seven and her dad were pulled into the ocean by powerful waves on the Central Coast.