https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Spain endured its wettest January and February in almost half a century, with a string of deadly storms lashing the country, national weather agency Aemet said Thursday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260312/spain-had-wettest-january-and-february-in-nearly-50-years Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:15:14 +0100 spain-had-wettest-january-and-february-in-nearly-50-years Two men have died in Vienna after exposure to freezing temperatures. Caritas says the cases show why using Austria’s winter cold lines can be crucial. https://www.thelocal.com/20260115/what-is-the-cold-line-in-austria-and-how-can-it-save-lives Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:12:53 +0100 what-is-the-cold-line-in-austria-and-how-can-it-save-lives With France having already broken a record for 36 consecutive days of rain, the question being asked, in increasingly shrill tones, is when will the wet weather end? https://www.thelocal.com/20260219/when-will-it-stop-raining-in-france-2 Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:22:46 +0100 when-will-it-stop-raining-in-france-2 Gale-force winds and storms barrelled through northern Europe, claiming more lives, causing travel mayhem, shutting schools, and cutting power to hundreds of thousands in freezing temperatures. https://www.thelocal.com/20260110/storms-spark-travel-mayhem-and-power-cuts-in-northern-europe Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:38:09 +0100 storms-spark-travel-mayhem-and-power-cuts-in-northern-europe Austria has been hit by some extreme wintery weather and whilst many foreign residents are shivering, Austrians seem generally unfazed. The Local Austria's editor Amanda Previdelli explains how you can take a tip from the locals and enjoy the cold. https://www.thelocal.com/20260110/inside-austria-what-austrians-can-teach-you-about-living-in-cold-weather Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:15:31 +0100 inside-austria-what-austrians-can-teach-you-about-living-in-cold-weather Snow, ice and high winds brought transport chaos to swathes of Europe for a third day on Wednesday, with hundreds of flights cancelled and passengers stranded. https://www.thelocal.com/20260107/europe-faces-transport-chaos-as-deadly-cold-snap-persists Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:52:42 +0100 europe-faces-transport-chaos-as-deadly-cold-snap-persists The French capital saw a rare episode of snow on Monday, leading to flight cancellations, long tailbacks on the roads and public transport disruption. https://www.thelocal.com/20260105/flights-cancelled-and-traffic-blocked-as-snow-hits-paris Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:53:23 +0100 flights-cancelled-and-traffic-blocked-as-snow-hits-paris Many foreigners who move to Spain are surprised by just how freezing Spanish winters can be, but they're equally shocked by how sometimes it's colder inside their homes than outdoors. https://www.thelocal.com/20211104/why-are-spanish-homes-so-cold Thu, 04 Nov 2021 09:42:59 +0100 why-are-spanish-homes-so-cold Spain's national weather agency on Monday downgraded its rain alert for northeastern Catalonia following torrential rain that left 18 people injured, including one seriously, authorities said. https://www.thelocal.com/20251012/spain-back-on-flood-alert-as-torrential-rains-strike Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:25:44 +0200 spain-back-on-flood-alert-as-torrential-rains-strike Spain's Mediterranean holiday islands of Ibiza and Formentera emerged relatively unscathed from torrential rainfall on Tuesday that triggered floods and prompted the closure of beaches and schools. https://www.thelocal.com/20251001/in-pics-beaches-shut-on-spains-ibiza-as-downpours-spark-floods Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:21:02 +0200 in-pics-beaches-shut-on-spains-ibiza-as-downpours-spark-floods Spain's meteorological agency has put the eastern Valencia region under red alert for heavy rains, amid fears of a repeat of floods that killed 235 people last October in the area. https://www.thelocal.com/20250929/spains-valencia-on-red-alert-as-region-battered-by-heavy-rain Mon, 29 Sep 2025 10:56:10 +0200 spains-valencia-on-red-alert-as-region-battered-by-heavy-rain Heatwaves – like the one Europe is currently sweating through – can make driving more dangerous. To reduce the risk for drivers, Germany has introduced speed limits on certain motorways. https://www.thelocal.com/20250811/where-speed-limits-are-in-place-on-the-german-autobahn-due-to-the-heat Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:20:44 +0200 where-speed-limits-are-in-place-on-the-german-autobahn-due-to-the-heat School closures, speed restrictions and a nuclear reactor shutdown - France faces historic heat as weather forecasters have extended into Wednesday a rare red level warning for areas including Paris. https://www.thelocal.com/20250630/wildfires-break-out-in-france-as-most-of-country-put-on-extreme-heat-alert Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:33:02 +0200 wildfires-break-out-in-france-as-most-of-country-put-on-extreme-heat-alert In other parts of the world, 25C (77F) is an average summer’s day, so why do Swedes feel the heat more, and what can be done to mitigate the effect of heatwaves in the future? https://www.thelocal.com/20240626/why-are-temperatures-of-25c-considered-a-heatwave-in-sweden Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:07:50 +0200 why-are-temperatures-of-25c-considered-a-heatwave-in-sweden Authorities across Southern Europe urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable on Sunday, as punishing temperatures from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France climbed higher in the summer's first major heatwave. https://www.thelocal.com/20250628/europe-bakes-in-summers-first-heatwave-as-continent-warms Sat, 28 Jun 2025 15:48:00 +0200 europe-bakes-in-summers-first-heatwave-as-continent-warms From heat domes to tropical nights and cool islands - as heatwaves become more common and more intense in France, French vocabulary has expanded to discuss them in detail. Here's the vocab you need to keep up with hot weather chat. https://www.thelocal.com/20230816/essential-french-vocab-for-a-heatwave Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:01:34 +0200 essential-french-vocab-for-a-heatwave Europe has thousands of incredible swimming spots around its beaches, lakes and rivers, but which countries have the cleanest and dirtiest waters? https://www.thelocal.com/20250621/revealed-where-in-europe-has-the-cleanest-and-dirtiest-swimming-spots Sat, 21 Jun 2025 11:12:22 +0200 revealed-where-in-europe-has-the-cleanest-and-dirtiest-swimming-spots Spring temperatures have officially arrived at three of Sweden’s weather stations, with the season expected to officially begin in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malmö in the next few days. https://www.thelocal.com/20250224/spring-has-arrived-in-sweden-officially-at-least-2 Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:20:31 +0100 spring-has-arrived-in-sweden-officially-at-least-2 Temperatures dropped across Sweden over the weekend, causing massive traffic accidents. Here's what it looked like. https://www.thelocal.com/20250217/in-pictures-sweden-shivers-as-big-freeze-hits Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:17:28 +0100 in-pictures-sweden-shivers-as-big-freeze-hits The torrential rain and flooding forecast for Málaga on Wednesday has become a reality, with the capital and its airport now partially under water, as other parts of the country also suffer the consequences of this latest DANA storm. https://www.thelocal.com/20241113/latest-thousands-evacuated-from-malaga-as-spain-braces-for-more-floods Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:46:42 +0100 latest-thousands-evacuated-from-malaga-as-spain-braces-for-more-floods