Tropical storm Cela hit the northwestern coast of Madagascar late on Tuesday night but lost force as it moved across the island. Initially Cela was gusting up to 60mph, and although it subsequently lost intensity it still destroyed 60 houses, leaving over 140 people homeless. Madagascar's cyclone season begins in December and usually runs until May.

Another tropical storm out and about on Tuesday was Peter. Peter is the second storm to form outside the Atlantic hurricane season, but unlike the first outsider - tropical storm Odette, which caused flash floods and landslides that killed at least eight people - Peter is just "petering" around the Atlantic and has now been downgraded to a tropical depression.

A different kind of storm, a snow storm in the Pacific, hit the Sierra Mountains of California on Wednesday bringing rain and mountain snow to much of the state. The snow led to slippery and treacherous roads and many cars were stranded on highways. Additional snowfall is expected as another weather system moves into northern California.

California wasn't the only state to receive the white stuff. From Minnesota and Wisconsin south into Iowa and Missouri, parts of the Plains experienced an early winter blizzard on Tuesday. Snowfall ranged from 3 to 6 inches across Iowa and Missouri to as much as 10 inches elsewhere in the Plains. Gusty winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow throughout the regions.

Weather News from the last five days:
10/12/2003
09/12/2003
08/12/2003
07/12/2003
06/12/2003

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