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The graphics and statistical information on this page fill gradually as they become available, with some not available until the next day.
The page is updated every 30 minutes at about 20 and 50 minutes past the hour.
For weather news as it breaks that is tagged and organised, use the links on the Weather and Climate Media Reports page.
 Only cyclones and bushfires missing from the usual Australian Christmas weather mix
Storms and rainfall were the predominant feature over Christmas in much of the eastern two-thirds of the continent. The record rainfall in Central Australia at the start of the week has taken time for flooding to subside and stories to emerge, with widespread coverage in the international media. Science Alert has some cracking photos and video of Uluru gushing waterfalls on every face and gully while FloodList carries a concise coverage of the full event.
The aftermath of the storms that battered Adelaide on Wednesday 28 focused on the major blackout following the storm, with ABC News indicating about 155,000 premises had lost power, some for a long time. ABC Rural reported widespread and severe crop losses as a result of the torrential rain and strong winds, with grain losses alone expected to be in the $100-200 million range according to Grain Producers SA. Relatively small amounts of property damage were reported.
On Thursday 29 it was Melbourne's turn with a whole battalion of severe thunderstorms moving from the NW across the whole metro area during the afternoon peak. 40 to over 70mm was recorded frequently in around 30 minutes producing widespread flash flooding. Roads and expressways rapidly became impassable, including the Western Ring Road and Tullamarine Freeway while rail services were delayed or suspended and trams delayed by deep water. ABC News produced a comprehensive report late last night and a further update this afternoon.
Elsewhere, a heatwave gripped eastern NSW and SE QLD, though water temperatures of 19 to 20° along the NSW coast rather discouraged the many holiday swimmers from taking a plunge from air up to 20° warmer. In the west it was the opposite story, with shopkeepers complaining cool weather was keeping Perth residents away from the beach. One Cottesloe fish and chip shop owner told ABC News "It's been windy and not too nice down at the beachfront, and our figures have probably been 50 per cent of what we would expect for this time of the year over the last few days. Being one of our busiest weeks of the year, it makes a substantial difference."
 Freezing rain, blizzards, heavy snow and extreme cold. Look through these if the heatwave is getting you down
Eastern Canada and the US northern Plains have had enough white Christmas and want it to stop. The US northern Plains states of Nebraska, the Dakotas and parts of Iowa experienced blizzard conditions with storm-force winds and white-out conditions in places on Monday resulting in large no-travel areas being declared and grounding all aircraft. Conditions were expected to improve late in the day.
Meanwhile, eastern Canada has experienced a mix of wild weather with strong winds, snow and heavy freezing rain. The freezing rain has deposited up to 15mm of ice on some roads in Ontario, bringing out skaters in scores demonstrating their skills (and otherwise) on social media. The Guardian made this compilation.
If you want real cold, though, Siberia is the place to go. Business Insider, relayed through Science Alert, published this photo essay, with some neat linking text, showing what life is like in the coldest inhabited town on earth. It's Oymyakon, Russia, where winter temperature averages around -50°C and has gone as low as -71.2. Get a hot cup of coffee or tea before starting this.
Friday 30: Newsbits
Typhoon Nock-Ten aftermath: The clearance of debris from roads to allow access, assessment and help to get in to affected communities is now making good progress and an initial picture is becoming clear. This summary graphic shows the path of the Typhoon on Christmas and Boxing Days and gives some of the information known or estimated as at Wednesday 28.
Freezing fog grips Britain: Only a few days after Christmas, temperatures are dropping over the UK with snow and ice forecast into the New Year. So no white Christmas, but a cold, long-lasting fog instead which, as temperatures have gradually dropped, has become freezing fog, depositing thin layers of ice on everything including roads. The Guardian reported widespread, disruptive fog on Wednesday, and by today was reporting multi-vehicle crashes and carrying Met Office warnings of large and dense patches of freezing fog mostly in SE Britain. There has also been considerable dislocation of air services at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.
Too much rain, too little snow and yet more fog: Bolivia's worst drought in 25 years has been suddenly reversed as thunderstorms bringing heavy rain and threatening floods and mudslides have raked a large part of the country. Al Jazeera reports that from Santa Cruz de la Sierra in central Bolivia through La Paz to Trinidad in the far north, falls up to 100mm and more have occurred, killing at least eight people and causing widespread disruption.
Al Jazeera also reports on the dearth of rain in the form of snow across large parts of the Alps and farther east, due to a large high pressure system that has been anchored over much of Europe for several weeks. The article explores the intricacies of artificial snow-making, where the real white stuff is good, and has a classic header photo that really says it all.
And on the eastern side of that high, cold air has been pushed south over the Gulf States bringing an unusually long-lasting fog that has wreaked havoc with flight schedules as runway visibilities have dropped as low as 20 metres.
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