UK weather: ‘Iberian storm’ to unleash almost a month of rain

Weather experts have warned that a storm in the Iberian Peninsula could bring almost a month’s worth of rain this weekend.

Britons have been dealing with scorching temperatures recently, with the mercury hovering around 30 degrees for most of the past week. However, not everyone was able to enjoy the heat due to persistent rains increasing humidity across the country.

Last Friday, as the country grappled with severe internet outages, forecasters recorded temperatures reaching 31C, one of the highest this year. While it’s not expected to get much colder over the next few weeks, recent weather maps from WXCharts and Ventusky paint a stormier picture due to similar conditions in mainland Europe.

WXCharts maps reveal a storm in Spain this week, with a storm developing off the west coast between Monday and Friday before crossing France and hitting the UK on Saturday. Charts show red, yellow and green as the system reaches the UK, with a large stormy mass covering most of south-east England by July 27.

Other maps from Ventusky also predict rainy conditions and potential lightning throughout the day, while estimating the expected total amount of precipitation. At its peak, the storm could dump up to 13mm (0.5in) of rain over London in three hours and up to 39mm (1.5in) in total, the Mirror reports.

With the UK’s average July rainfall typically around 46mm (1.8in), future forecasts suggest Britons could experience the equivalent of 21 days of rain in just a few hours. The Met Office has also identified stormy conditions looming beyond this weekend, with its long-range forecast from July 27 to August 5 indicating the potential for “severe and shearing” weather.

The outlook states: “Sunny and showery spells, some of which could be strong and heavy, are expected across many parts of the UK on Saturday, along with below average temperatures. most parts and temperatures close to normal.”

The forecast continues: “It is uncertain how long this mainly dry period will last, but a more changeable pattern is likely to set in over the coming week. Showers or longer spells of rain are likely, some of which could be heavy and patchy, interspersed with some periods of dry, bright weather. Regional details are uncertain, but the wettest weather is likely to be in northern and western areas, with drier southern and eastern temperatures.