Violent storms overnight knocked over utility poles and carried thunder and heavy winds through central Arizona

Trees fell on to homes and utility poles were knocked down by a possible tornado in a central Arizona community during a series of violent storms that moved through the state overnight into Thursday.

Storms capable of causing hail and wind damage were traveling through central Arizona early on Thursday, with some flood watches and the possibility of tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.

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© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

Mainly fine weather is expected on Thursday, with passing clouds and fine dust in the atmosphere.

Winds will be a northwest to northeast gentle to moderate breeze of 3 to 4 Beaufort, over moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 29C inland and along the coast, and 16C in the highest mountains.

Thursday night will be clear.

Winds will be a northwest to northeast gentle breeze of 3 Beaufort, over slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 17C inland, 19C along the coast and 10C in the highest mountains.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be mainly fine with passing clouds.

Temperatures will remain close to the seasonal average over the weekend.

On Wednesday, the meteorological department said dust from Syria and Lebanon was reaching Cyprus this week, an unusual phenomenon at this time of year, and concentrations should stay low in the coming days.

Dust from Syria and Lebanon is reaching Cyprus this week, with more episodes expected in the coming days.

Met office spokesman Andreas Chrysanthou said that it was unusual to see dust this often at this time of year.

Dust is expected to blow in from the east tonight and tomorrow, though Chrysanthou said the island was under no significant burden for now and concentrations should stay low in the coming days.

The weather will stay mostly clear and warm, with highs of 28C expected in Nicosia, up from 25C earlier this week.

In Troodos temperatures should stay at around 9C, after dropping to 6C, while Limassol and Paphos will see 16C to 18C.

Chrysanthou said temperatures would stay one or two degrees above recent levels until Friday, close to normal for the time of year.

Next week is expected to look very different, with rain and storms possible from the middle of the week.

At a gathering in Texas, near where floods killed 136 people last year, survivors are united on the need for urgent action

It may be a club none of its members actually want to be in, but the growing number of people in the US affected by extreme weather disasters are starting to organize into a political force.

Severe wildfires, floods storms and other calamities now touch the lives of huge numbers of Americans – about half of all people in the US by one estimate – as the climate crisis supercharges extreme events. Some survivors are now coalescing to push for improved disaster response and even action on the politically contentious issue of global heating.

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© Photograph: Brenda Bazan/The Guardian

© Photograph: Brenda Bazan/The Guardian

© Photograph: Brenda Bazan/The Guardian

Partly cloudy conditions and isolated light showers are expected across Cyprus on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 28C along the coast.

According to the Meteorological Service, weak high pressure is affecting the region.

Cloud cover will increase locally at intervals throughout the day, with isolated light rain possible.

Winds will blow mainly from the northwest to northeast, light to moderate at 3 to 4 Beaufort, occasionally strengthening to 4 to 5 Beaufort in some areas. The sea will be calm to slightly rough.

Temperatures will reach 27C inland, around 28C along the coast and 15C in the higher mountains.

On Wednesday night, the weather will be mainly clear, although increased high cloud is expected at times. Winds will remain northwesterly to northeasterly, light to moderate at 3 to 4 Beaufort, while the sea will be calm to slightly rough.

Temperatures will drop to around 16C inland and along the northern coast, 18C along the remaining coastal areas and 9C in the higher mountains.

On Thursday, increased high cloud is expected at intervals, while Friday and Saturday will be mainly clear. Light dust may occasionally be present in the atmosphere.

Temperatures are forecast to rise gradually over the coming days, reaching levels close to or slightly above the seasonal average.

Hurricane warning in effect from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes as storm moves toward Pacific coast

Trudy strengthened to a category 2 hurricane as it moved toward Mexico’s south-western and west-central Pacific coast on Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane warning was in effect from Manzanillo in Colima state to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco. The latest NHC data showed Trudy with maximum sustained winds of 100mph (155km/h) and about 205 miles (330km) south/south-east of Cabo Corrientes and 115 miles (180km) south/south-west of Manzanillo, moving north-west at 10mph (17km/h).

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© Photograph: Gustavo Vilchis/Reuters

© Photograph: Gustavo Vilchis/Reuters

© Photograph: Gustavo Vilchis/Reuters