Weather Tracker: Torrential rains in southern China lead to flooding fears | extreme weather

Widespread heavy rain is moving across the south China. By Wednesday, rainfall totals are expected to exceed 100 mm over many parts of Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, and in some areas as much as 150-200 mm.

As a result, the Office of the State’s Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management held meetings with meteorological and hydrological departments to emphasize the importance of enhanced patrols and emergency responses to mitigate against the likely flooding that the intense rainfall is expected to bring. In particular, reservoirs with known safety issues must remain empty during the period, as well as through the upcoming rainy season.

Torrential rain is also forecast for the coming week Bangladeshnorthern Myanmar and far eastern India, including Nagaland, Manipur and Assam – up to 250mm could fall, locally over 400mm.

central and northern India still experience particularly high temperatures. Maximums of 45C were reported from as far west as the coastal city of Surat, as far as Haryana and Delhi in the north, and Odisha in the east.

Combined with high humidity and extreme UV levels, several yellow heat wave warnings have been issued. The extremely sweltering heat is expected to last into the early part of the week, before somewhat cooler air arrives – with the potential for thunderstorms – bringing some relief.

Heavy rainfall also fell Nigeria in recent days, causing widespread damage and destruction across some areas of Jalingo, the capital of Taraba in the east of the country. On Saturday, intense rainfall led to a rapid rise in water levels that flooded properties and destroyed homes.

While rainfall totals have not been as extreme as the levels seen in Southeast Asia, poor drainage infrastructure in Nigeria has made damaging flooding an increasingly recurring issue.

Unseasonably cold weather affects central western Canada. The cities of Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon are all seeing daytime maximum temperatures below freezing and up to 15C below normal for late April, while experiencing lows of -10C to -12C. The cold air brings snow with the northern US states of Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota also affected. However, much warmer conditions are expected to move in later this week, with the colder air moving into the southern and eastern US states.