7th January - Today's News: Winter Storm Helena Heads for US Deep South

Three dead as winter storm sweeps eastward and heads for the Deep South while in the west, Yosemite braces as huge storm approaches Central California with flood concerns.

Europe continues to be cold and snowy:

Will snow rescue Swiss Alps after dry start to winter? 

Germany shivers in coldest winter night so far

Seven die of hypothermia as mercury plunges in Poland

Snow blizzards cause havoc in the Balkans

Istanbul paralysed as heavy snowstorm hits Turkey

Tourists stranded in Swedish Arctic as trains axed again due to extreme cold

And in Russia, Siberians mock Muscovites for panic over record freezing temperatures

Here, we're not even expecting another frost till at least the end of next week!

In Australia, grassfires brought under control as heatwave sweeps across Victoria

A dozen left dead as torrential rain submerges parts of southern Thailand

Large-scale tornado outbreaks increasing in frequency in the US

Alaska's Bogoslof volcano blows an island to smithereens and sends ash 35,000 feet into the air in repeated eruptions

And one for the diary: A dazzling supernova will appear in the sky in 2022, predict astronomers (give or take a year or two).  Although it's only expected to be mag 2 - and won't actually be a supernova, rather, a nova.