Cooler, wetter weather set to reach Europe after prolonged heat
Western Europe, including the UK, is set for a cooler, wetter change this week after a long dry and hot spell, while extreme heat continues to intensify across the southern US.
After weeks of hot, dry weather across western Europe, conditions are shifting this week as temperatures fall back toward seasonal norms. Parts of the UK could see readings around 3C below average by Thursday, with some areas experiencing a drop of more than 15C compared with the heat recorded last Thursday.
Rain returns to the UK
A cold front is expected to move in from the Atlantic on Monday night into Tuesday, bringing the possibility of substantial rainfall to southern England. Prior to this, parts of southern England had gone 62 consecutive days without rain, based on readings from a Met Office station in Wisley, Surrey. Even the last rainfall recorded there, on 16 June, measured just 0.4mm.
More significant weather changes are expected from Wednesday through the weekend, as an area of low pressure crosses the UK, bringing frequent, sharp showers and the potential for thundery downpours. Following such an extended dry period, even modest rainfall is likely to have a noticeable environmental impact.
Continental Europe turns wetter too
The same cold front is forecast to push south into France and Germany on Wednesday, bringing wetter conditions there as well. Further south, rain is expected to be more inconsistent, driven mainly by showers and thunderstorms, with this risk increasing from Thursday onward.
Extreme heat persists in the southern US
While temperatures ease across Europe, the southern United States is facing extended extreme heat warnings this week. Overnight temperatures there are staying above roughly 27-28C, notably higher than the 22-23C overnight lows recorded during the UK's late-June heatwave. High humidity is intensifying the perceived heat, and the National Weather Service has warned of dangerously hot conditions, with daytime heat index values potentially exceeding 46C in Louisiana and Mississippi.
