We're coming to the end of a whole week of fairly warm weather for this time of year here in north-western (in the Wimmera-Mallee region of) Victoria - it's been around 30 degrees C for most of the week.  Next week, according to the forecast we should get some showers and/or rain, which is very much needed at the moment, last year was very dry and this year has started off even drier.

Here's hoping you get some rain, @pete! 

But hopefully not quite like the rain we received Thursday evening. It was the first severe thunderstorm of the spring season, bringing small hail, wind, and lightning to the area. Lightning stuck and burned the steeple of a historic church in St. Paul, and while the building itself was saved there is extensive water damage.

Lightning also struck a house in a town north of here, and there was an extensive fire on the grounds of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival that might have been storm related.

The next week is expected to have seasonal temperatures and chances for rain.

Yes @stargazer, we got rain last night and overnight.  A lightly falling rain, nothing too intense, no flooding, nor severe storms like you described.  It looks like we're going to get some more rain this evening also, and hopefully some more throughout this week, as we definitely have not had enough to break this drought we appear to be in at the moment though.  So hopes &prayers for more rain are appreciated.  

The storm you described reminded me of this bloke I support for work sometimes - his house was struck by lightning maybe about a month and a half to two months ago - his antenna was struck causing their television to blow up, and also one of their cars (the one his wife uses for work) was struck as well.  She went to drive it the following morning and all these alerts came up saying the engine was not working etc... the car ended up being a write-off all because of the electronic damage.

Whoa, the power of some storms is so very strong. Reading about your April 17 storm and fires, @stargazer, yikes! That is sad about the water damage to that historic church building. And yours, @Pete, with the lightning that struck the house and car awhile back, good gracious! Scary.

Here we have had quite a mixed bag of spring weather over the past few weeks. From often just below freezing temperatures at nighttime to today's abnormally high of 25C / 77F (and with the humidex at 30C / 86F). 

The storm we are having right now (power went out earlier this aft, but is back on now) is intense, with strong winds—80 kms / 50 mph—thunder and rain. Many tree branches down. The storm and heat are to dissipate this evening, bringing in a fast drop in temperature so that the low is 0C / 32F tonight! That's good, because it was too warm to walk this morning (I swam instead), but tomorrow morning will be beautifully cool for walking again.  

The rest of this week will be hovering around mid-teens Celsius ( 59F) during daytime hours, with single digits at night, at times right near the freezing mark, with the exception of Thursday night, which may be a warmer 13C / 55.4F. Some rain, some sun, a fair bit of cloud is forecast for the next week.  

Spring is definitely here: the bulb plants are blooming prolifically all over, that vibrant green of this time of year is thriving, birds are busily building nests, and I can see the first leaf buds on the many trees in our area. Also, the farmer just planted the field behind us (we suspect corn this year), and will very much appreciate the rain this afternoon.

I say spring is here, but snow is not ruled out here until well into May, especially frost, which we will not doubt have at least a few times in the next few weeks. This is why we cannot plant annuals or garden seeds until Victoria Day, which is our May long weekend (always the third weekend in May), and the unofficial start of summer. But this year Victoria Day is early, so best not to plant until the following weekend.

Campfire season is around the corner! We are already planning inviting over various groups to share this time together—neighbours, friends, family—sitting around a blazing fire in good conversation as stars begin to appear in the darkening sky. ♥

Like Jo, we've had a variety of weather as of late. The trees are just beginning to leaf out, which follows any flowering they do (meaning my allergy season has been longer than usual).

@jo, your current weather sounds much like what we had yesterday and may even be a result of the same system. Even last week, meteorologists were warning of the potential for explosive storms yesterday (Monday). 

The day was warm and unseasonably humid, just the ingredients for explosive storm growth, and that is what happened. While the Twin Cities area was largely spared (just some small hail, high winds, and tree damage), a strong line of storms extended from south central Minnesota back through Iowa into Nebraska, with high winds and golf-ball sized hail common.  It also spawned at least one tornado less than an hour south of the Twin Cities. That same storm also had a tornado in west-central Wisconsin. So far I haven't heard any reports of injuries, just property damage.

Today is rather cool (57F/13C) with clear blue skies that promise some stargazing for this evening. The weekend forecast is for spectacular spring weather, and I am sure gardeners will be out in force. But, as with Jo's area, frost can come as late as mid-May; our possible snow season extends to May 28.

Rain here again, so we have to be grateful for two very sunny days over the weekend (following a week of rain). There's an orange heavy rain warning here, for the next 20 hours. I've got buckets in the garage for the leak there, and the rest of the house is fine. I intend to stay indoors all day. It's still only mid-autumn, but it feels like winter isn't far off.

It is cold & wet on the other side of the Ditch. Winter has begun, all right. 

Meanwhile in the UK, we're having several days in a row of sunshine and temperatures well into the mid-20s Celsius. The media, as usual, are calling it a "mini heatwave". I, as usual, sent this report to my family in Australia and they cracked up.  

The mornings and evenings are starting to be a bit cooler now here in north-western Victoria, the feeling of winter on the way - and looking at the 7 day forecast from the BOM on my phone, it looks like we may be in for a small bit of rain next week too.  The rain I mentioned in my previous post did come - not too heavy, and a decent amount - it's filled up my water tank so that it's now 2/3 full.  The day time temperatures here though are still hovering around the low 20s so it doesn't quite feel like winter all day yet.  Right now as I write this, I'm thinking it won't be too long till we start getting the woodfire going in the evenings.

One odd thing I did observe a few weeks ago though which appeared to be weather related - the pear tree in my backyard began to flower for a second time in the season - it's not surprising for it flower at the start of spring, but approaching the end of autumn doesn't appear to be usual.  A couple of my apple trees did so (or attempted to do so) as well.  I believe this may have had something to do with the warm and dry conditions we have been having up until recently.  

Enough rain fell overnight to flood our gutters. Within a few hours this morning the street was a flowing river. Gusty winds, draughts sneaking in through chinks in the window frames, feels rather cold! It's only mid autumn, but it's dismal.

@coracle can you send that rain over here? Maybe not all in the one shot though - I don't want the flooding rain, just the steady, consistent rain.  

@pete It seems to have gone, so perhaps peep out the window and watch for it arriving!  

Seriously, the flood water in the road has all cleared in the last few hours; it seems to have been quick!  I'm glad, because we've had far too much water lately, and the gardens and lawns are sodden.  

Glad your water cleared away quickly, Auntie! Could you send some up here please? With growing season about to start, our drought continues.

This week offers very quiet, warm, sunny, pleasant weather. The north central US is under an "omega block" - the jet stream (and associated storms) ride far to our north, swinging in from the southwest and heading southeast. (The resulting pattern looks like the Greek letter omega). No humidity yet, only a few bugs, days full of sun and nights full of stars - ideal weather for planting, as long as we get needed rain soon.