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Weather tracker: Europe braces for swing from Arctic chill to extreme heat

Europe is facing a dramatic temperature swing after a prolonged Arctic chill that brought temperatures 10-15C below seasonal averages, frosts, and widespread thunderstorms; by Friday, hot air from North Africa will push temperatures in France and England up by 15C, with Spain and Portugal seeing mid- to high-30s Celsius. In the US, contrasting extreme weather is unfolding, including snowfall and blizzards in the northwest, wildfire risks in the southwest, and a 15% tornado probability across four central states.