North-west Italy is braced for heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across the southern side of the Alps, particularly in Piedmont and Liguria.

Turin and Genoa are expected to be among the worst affected, with snowfall also likely on higher ground. The region has been forecast to receive 140-160mm of rainfall between Sunday and Friday this week.

Turin could face 50-60mm of rain on Wednesday alone – equivalent to north-west Italy’s average rainfall for the entire month of April – with a chance of flooding and landslides.

Corsica is expected to be hit by significant rainfall totals of more than 120mm in places. Tuscany is under alert for rainfall totals exceeding 55mm from Monday.

The stormy weather is driven by a developing low-pressure system over the region, which is drawing in warm, moist air from the Tyrrhenian Sea. As this air mass meets the Alps, it is being forced upwards, triggering rapid condensation and heavy precipitation as a result of orographic lift.

Meanwhile, central and eastern Europe could get an early taste of summer this week, with unusually high temperatures forecast across several countries.

Daytime highs of up to 24C (75F) are likely in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – more than 10C above the seasonal average.

Berlin could top 26C on Wednesday and Thursday, while temperatures in the Polish city of Łódź and Albania’s capital, Tirana, could climb past 28C, a sharp departure from typical mid-April conditions.

The warm spell follows Europe’s hottest March on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Experts say this may signal a challenging summer, with an increased risk of severe heatwaves and wildfires across the continent.

Over the weekend, Storm Olivier swept across the Canary Islands, lashing tourist hotspots such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. Lanzarote was hit particularly hard and received 60mm of rainfall on Saturday. Homes and streets were flooded with muddy water that triggered widespread power outages and flight cancellations.

Spanish authorities declared a state of emergency after more than 300 weather-related incidents.

Recovery efforts are under way, with emergency crews using pumps to drain flood waters and begin repairs.

With the Easter holidays in full swing for many travellers, Storm Olivier has caused significant disruption across the region.