The 2021 season in the city of Kyoto peaked on 26 March, according to data collected by Osaka University. The city has experienced an unusually warm spring this year. Increasingly early flowerings in recent decades are likely to be as a result of climate change.

Many parts of Scotland had snow over the weekend, including the Highlands and Aberdeenshire, with low temperatures across much of the country. Temperatures dipped to -9.4C overnight at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.

A surge in the popularity of hillwalking during this year's coronavirus pandemic has seen daily visitor numbers at Ben Lomond grow from 1,000 on a normal sunny weekend to around 2,000. Walkers leaving official paths to avoid other people is causing hillside erosion and damage to vegetation.

Sargassum, a type of seaweed, is creating problems as it washes up across the Caribbean.

Andy Meldrum, of Glencoe Mountain, said his business is working towards a date when they can welcome back skiers and snowboarders. Despite the most magnificent conditions in 11 years, the slopes remain closed because of lockdown.

Up to 10 sperm whales have been stranded between Withernsea and Tunstall on the coast. Members of the coastguard and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) are on the beach, between Tunstall and Withernsea, near Hull.

The blaze in forestry south of Loch Morlich near Aviemore has now been extinguished.

Firefighters extinguished fires on Benbecula and Harris as they warn of extreme risk. SFRS said the fires had broken out in vegetation that had died off since last year and then been dried out by frost and low temperatures.

More than 50,000 juvenile fish were killed or escaped in the incident on Skye, says an industry body. The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) said predation attacks continued to have a significant impact on fish health and welfare.

Vehicles were trapped as gale-force winds carried mud-coloured waves of snow onto the A98 near Buckie. Snow ploughs were used to try and clear the stretch, close to its junction with the B9016, but were unable to make it through and the road remains closed.

The pancakes form when foam floating on a river or the sea freeze. These frozen chunks are then shaped by being rubbed against one another in eddies of water.

An avian influenza outbreak is to blame for the deaths of more than 13,000 birds, many of them pelicans. More than 5,500 pelicans have died in Peru in recent weeks due to an outbreak of bird flu. Several beaches are littered with the carcasses of the dead animals and some have also been found in protected areas.

Scientists said the critically-endangered species had previously only been found in rivers and know pearl mussels have been discovered in the Scotland Lochs.

Deadly floods in northern Chile left homes and roads destroyed.

The word for it here is Schneemangel or snow shortage. There's a phrase for when the snow is plentiful too - das weisse Gold - white gold. It's a reflection of how many alpine communities depend on winter sports for their livelihoods. World Cup skiers will race on artificial snow this Saturday as the Alps see record high temperatures.

The suspected lightning strike in the Highlands also dislodged boulders the size of washing machines.

Norwegian authorities said up to 40 dogs had fallen ill with vomiting in at least 13 towns.

The Moray Firth dolphins have been moving out of their normal range in Scotland waters. A dolphin known as Yoda is the latest member to be spotted far from home. Another Moray Firth dolphin has been seen in the Irish Sea.

The UK has been facing its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza, with cases found around Scotland including a recent outbreak on the remote archipelago of St Kilda.Samples were taken from hundreds of dead birds found on East Lothian beaches.

Hundreds of residents reported hearing explosions in the early hours of Friday caused by the weather phenomenon. After receiving a number of calls, Police Scotland took to Twitter to reassure residents that there was no need to be alarmed.