Weather tracker: deep trough over Europe brings severe storms

Heavy rain, lightning and tornadoes lash swaths of continent, with France, Italy and Slovenia among worst hit

Severe storms linked to a deep upper air trough formed from the ex-hurricane Erin lashed parts of western and southern Europe last week.

Italy was hit by severe rainfall on Thursday that caused flooding in the Lombardy region. The commune of Busto Arsizio was badly affected, with more than 100mm of rain and frequent lightning.