Hello and welcome back to the final wild weather blog in the month of April! Last week we discussed deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma and a superbloom in California that could be seen from space! This week we’re hopping across the Atlantic to discuss a devastating drought in Spain, and we’re checking on the sunshine state where they saw ice rain from the sky. Let’s dive in!

Extreme Spanish drought:

There is a severe drought ongoing across Spain and it’s been ongoing for over 32 months. This means reservoir levels are now dangerously low, which is now causing water shortages in Barcelona. On Tuesday, Spanish authorities warned of a “drought emergency” which would bring even stricter water restrictions. Last year, Spain saw it’s hottest summer on record, and the winter was abnormally dry. This has led to widespread drought, which has led to herds of starving rabbits, which are now destroying crops. With reservoir levels dropping, this has actually led to medieval ruins being uncovered after being hidden underwater for decades.

Hail in Florida:

On Wednesday, strong storms battered western Florida bringing strong winds and a ton of hail. The hail covered the ground, with the largest hail stones up to golf ball size (1.75″). Although most of the hail was smaller, it doesn’t take very large hail to damage cars and cause an insurance nightmare for drivers. The hail rained down on I-95, leaving piles of ice on the highway. There were also reports of broken windows.

Something good:

An intense solar storm allowed the aurora borealis lights show to be seen further south across the United States this week! Folks looked up with awe in the night at the bright green and purple display overhead! The lights could be seen with the naked eye from California to Colorado, West Virginia, even the Texas Panhandle.

Check out the bright blue and green colors seen from Toronto.

Stay safe always,

Caroline