Visitors to Westminster battle through the rain (Picture: DW Images/Shutterstock)
This summer is fast becoming the coldest in 24 years with Europe set to endure a ‘wash out’, Met Office forecasters say.
On top of an already disappointing summer, the UK is set to endure a ‘European Monsoon’ washout, as the US’s Hurricane Beryl blasts more wind and rain our way.
Atlantic winds are returning after slackening in spring, a turnaround known as the ‘European Monsoon.’
Wet bursts will hit Wimbledon in coming days and dampen Britain for weeks to come.
A Met Office forecaster said: ‘It will remain unsettled, and next week is likely to see a mostly showery westerly breeze, possibly a more settled spell in mid-week then a showery northwesterly flow resuming.
‘Winds are likely to be gusty near heavy showers and thunderstorms.’
With more chilly soakings on the way, the grim 12.8C average UK temperature so far this summer – 1C colder than normal – is poised to fall below the cool 2012 summer to become the coldest summer since 2000, Met Office figures show.
The Met Office has said: ‘The so-called “European Monsoon” is the ill-defined phenomenon of a return of westerly winds in July following a possible weakening in late spring.
Spectators shelter from the rain on the hill on day nine of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships (Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
‘It has been coined the “European Monsoon” or “Return of the Westerlies”.’
Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said: ‘The UK’s summer so far has been remarkably cold by recent standards.
‘Since the year 2000, only 2012 was this cold from June 1 to July 8.’
There have even been yellow Met Office weather warnings for rain and thunderstorms in place in recent days – just to rub it in.
Wimbledon has even seen lower than average attendance figures as queueing fans and Centre Court got drenched.
A taxi splashes through a large puddle on Euston Road(Picture: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutt)
The blame for the UK’s current rubbish weather can be solely placed on the jet stream.
The stream of air high up in the atmosphere has flowed either across the UK or further south, allowing areas of low pressure to move in which bring wind and rain with them.
This means the UK and north west Europe have been stuck with cooler and more changeable weather conditions, while southern Europe has seen heatwaves and even wildfires on some of the Greek islands.
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