5th January - Today's News: Storm Surge Causes Major Coastal Flooding in Germany, Denmark

Violent storm brings floods to north, snow to south Germany as Storm Axel brings worst Baltic Sea flooding in decade.  The same storm system meant a 100-year flood hits Denmark

And although Britain was otherwise unaffected, there was also flood drama along coast as storm surge hits East Anglia

There's also been extreme weather in Finland: Cold record snaps at -41.7, lightning strikes Porkkala

 whilst the bitter cold snarls mass transit  and across the border, Swedes get stuck for hours on a freezing train in minus 40, shrug it off

With more snow forecast in eastern Europe, Bulgaria declares ‘code orange’ dangerous weather warning in 20 regions for January 6

And there's Freezing weather across France  too

Needless to say, althought at -4.4c this morning was colder than any in the past four winters, there's no sign of any snow for us yet!

 

In the US, Winter Storm Helena kills 1 in Oregon; schools closed, avalanches triggered

Fierce Canadian winds snap turbine like a matchstick  as wild weather storms across Canada 

`BOM climate report finds 2016 wettest year on record for parts of South Australia whilst 2016 was the hottest year ever on Australia’s east coast, confirms Bureau of Meteorology and in complete contrast it was also the coldest Perth winter in decades, but cool temperatures 'not here to stay'

In Uruguay: Thunderstorms cause damage across Montevideo

Overall, 2016 edges 1998 as warmest year on record - according to satellite data maintained by global warming sceptics ....  And more bad news for deniers as an independent study casts fresh doubt over global warming 'pause'

And there's potential instability in Atlantic Ocean water circulation system