Wild Weather: Extreme temperatures and natural disasters strike across the globe

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Europe

Extreme weather has taken the world by storm. But whether it's California rain or desert snow, communities are finding ways to cope. CGTN's Jim Spellman has the details.

A meter of snow in Switzerland's popular Zermatt ski resort has trapped thousands of tourists -- creating avalanche risks, as authorities struggle to dig out.

On the Italian side of the Alps, police patrol on snowmobiles as cars got stuck in the snow.

DADO PEZZANA SKI INSTRUCTOR ''Many drivers, that we call 'Sunday drivers', think they are great drivers but get stuck in the middle of the road."

Kids enjoyed a rare snowfall in the north African nation of Morocco and a dusting of white powder even topped the orange sands of the Sahara Desert in Algeria.

Heavy rain and winds from a cyclone in Madagascar has left dozens dead while forcing thousands from their homes.

In California, rains are bringing mudslides to areas left vulnerable by recent wildfires.

ROB DAVIS LOCAL RESIDENT "Concerns that the hillsides that no longer have vegetation will obviously be going into our backyards."

Several deaths have already been reported related to the rain in California.

But there is brighter news from China, where 34 couples took advantage of frigid temperatures to get married in a mass wedding during the Harbin International Ice Festival.

JIM SPELLMAN WASHINGTON Here, in Washington, the sun is finally out and temperatures are well above freezing after weeks of frigid conditions. It's difficult to relate any of these single weather events to global warming, but scientists say man-made climate change has contributed to an increase in extreme weather events. Jim Spellman, CGTN, Washington.