Why is the UK summer weather so bad and when will it improve?
The UK has seen a considerable decrease in temperatures across the country compared to the previous week.
After a brief period of hot weather last week, raising hopes for a fantastic summer, Brits have been brought back to reality as temperatures begin to decrease across the country.
Last Wednesday, Heathrow Airport recorded a high of 30.3C, making it the hottest day of the year so far. However, the current weather pattern is notably cooler, with many parts of the country seeing temperatures at around 20C.
The Met Office has predicted that cooler weather will continue for the rest of the week, with temperatures expected to remain below average. It has also ruled out a heatwave later in July.
Winds of up to 40mph are expected to hit the UK on Thursday as voters head to polling stations. Showers are also expected across west and northwest Scotland, northwest England and across Northern Ireland on Thursday, according to the Met Office.
However, temperatures are forecasted to return to the July norm from next week.
Met forecaster Annie Shuttleworth said: “We’ve got some weather fronts bringing that cloud, also some rain as well.”
She added: “The first weather front has allowed some drizzly rain to develop for much of the UK but it’s this main weather front, the cold front lying to the west that is going to bring the heavier spell of rain.
“The weather will remain unsettled this week, with strong winds in the north on Thursday.”
Why is the weather so bad in the UK right now?
The current weather in the UK can be attributed to a strong jet stream in the Atlantic, which is contributing to the changeable nature of the weather this week.
Much of the UK is positioned on the cooler side of the jet, resulting in temperatures that are around or slightly below the seasonal average.
However, areas experiencing sunshine will feel relatively warm, particularly in the southern regions.
The jet stream, located around five to seven miles above the Earth’s surface, consists of powerful winds blowing from west to east.
Its high-altitude flow impacts wind and pressure patterns, influencing surface-level weather phenomena like areas of high and low pressure and ultimately shaping the weather we experience.
Frequent blustery showers in the north, with gusty winds over the hills and mountains 🌦️
Breezy elsewhere, with warm sunny spells and the odd shower ⛅
Cool in the north 📉 pic.twitter.com/pyjYyY7f55— Met Office (@metoffice) July 4, 2024
What will the UK weather be like next week?
The unsettled and changeable theme is expected to continue through the majority of next week, according to the Met Office.
Cloud and rain-bearing systems will sometimes cross the UK from the west or southwest, accompanied by periods of stronger winds. However, there are likely to be drier interludes, too, with the best of the more settled weather in the east.
With a generally southerly wind direction, temperatures are expected to rise back to the July norm from the cool beginning to the week, with the potential for wafts of warm continental air to affect the southeast at times.
The following week there are tentative signs that conditions could gradually become a bit more settled, though temperatures are likely to remain around average overall.
What is the 30-day weather forecast for the UK?
The Met Office has noted an emerging trend towards more settled and potentially warmer weather leading up to the second half of January, appearing to have been brought forward from the middle of the month.
This may well continue through to the start of this period with drier conditions a little more likely than normal.
However, as we go through the rest of the month, the latest information suggests that a return to cooler and more unsettled weather is now slightly favoured.
The forecast signals are all rather weak and conflicting, so confidence in a definitive story at this range can be nothing other than very low, the Met Office adds.
