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| Why the UK has had such hot weather this July | Why the UK has had such hot weather this July |
| (2 months later) | |
| Throughout June the weather across the UK had been decidedly mixed with some pleasant weather interspersed with spells of wet and windy weather. This was because the jet stream was meandering across the Atlantic in a position which was slightly further south than you would expect at that time of year. | Throughout June the weather across the UK had been decidedly mixed with some pleasant weather interspersed with spells of wet and windy weather. This was because the jet stream was meandering across the Atlantic in a position which was slightly further south than you would expect at that time of year. |
| However, a major change took place just after the start of July as the jet stream took a dramatic shift northwards. This led rain-bearing weather systems to be deflected towards Iceland and Scandinavia with high pressure becoming the dominant factor across the country. In meteorological terms, this is known as a blocked pattern. High pressure at this time of year means generally fine weather, while the strength of sun can generate some very high temperatures. | However, a major change took place just after the start of July as the jet stream took a dramatic shift northwards. This led rain-bearing weather systems to be deflected towards Iceland and Scandinavia with high pressure becoming the dominant factor across the country. In meteorological terms, this is known as a blocked pattern. High pressure at this time of year means generally fine weather, while the strength of sun can generate some very high temperatures. |
| It is interesting to note that most of the UK has benefited from the summer weather and the highest temperatures have not necessarily been confined to any one area. Another point of interest is that we have seen very few thunderstorms in the last couple of weeks. It is a common conception that these always accompany hot weather but this has not been the case over the last couple of weeks, mainly because the hot weather has not been imported from France or Spain. | It is interesting to note that most of the UK has benefited from the summer weather and the highest temperatures have not necessarily been confined to any one area. Another point of interest is that we have seen very few thunderstorms in the last couple of weeks. It is a common conception that these always accompany hot weather but this has not been the case over the last couple of weeks, mainly because the hot weather has not been imported from France or Spain. |
| Hot weather is not good news for everyone of course, and the Met Office and Public Health England have been working together to provide advice via the Heat Health Watch. | Hot weather is not good news for everyone of course, and the Met Office and Public Health England have been working together to provide advice via the Heat Health Watch. |
| The weather is in complete contrast to this time last year when we experienced a succession of weather systems driven in from the Atlantic. There was no marked change in the position of the jet stream and, in fact, it became a persistent feature throughout most of the summer of 2012. | The weather is in complete contrast to this time last year when we experienced a succession of weather systems driven in from the Atlantic. There was no marked change in the position of the jet stream and, in fact, it became a persistent feature throughout most of the summer of 2012. |
| So the question now is: how long is the hot weather expected to last? There are signs that temperatures will peak over the next couple of days with hints of a change to something more unsettled towards the end of July. | So the question now is: how long is the hot weather expected to last? There are signs that temperatures will peak over the next couple of days with hints of a change to something more unsettled towards the end of July. |
| • Nick Grahame is the chief forecaster at the Met Office | • Nick Grahame is the chief forecaster at the Met Office |
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