Summer “has vanished” with no sign of it making a comeback before the middle of August at least, forecasters say. Although a few rays managed to poke through the clouds earlier today, experts are predicting “autumnal” doom and gloom through the weekend and beyond. Britain is currently at the mercy of a “low-latitude jet stream” sat right over the UK steering low pressure in from the Atlantic.

The unsettled pattern looks most likely set to continue until early August Met office spokesperson

A cluster of unsettled weather systems off the west coast of Britain will dish up further misery into the final month of summer. The Met Office predicts a mixed bag of sunshine and showers this weekend with the risk of thunder and heavy downpours. Temperatures will be “no great shakes” struggling to get much above 22C (72F) anywhere in the country. Heavy showers are forecast tomorrow morning starting in the north before hitting southern England by late morning.

GETTY • SWNS Britain will be facing heavy rain, thunder and hail throughout the next month

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said: “We are expecting more persistent rain across the south was the day goes on with strong winds along the south coast - it is not unheard of to see gales at this time of year. “The south coast, Kent and Sussex may see wet weather all day, only becoming drier later on. “It is going to be a real mix at the weekend as another low pressure system affects England and Wales, it is looking wet and windy during the early hours of Saturday. “Saturday will bring frequent showers across Scotland and the far north of the country, central and northern regions will have more in the way of drier weather with showers while the south will stay cloudy.

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“On Sunday there are more sunshine and showers across the whole country and some of these showers could be heavy, thundery and blustery with the risk of hail.” She said only East Anglia and the southeast will miss the worst of the deluge although not without a shower or two. The outlook for next week is not much better with more wind and rain on the way after a brief rest from the grim weather on Wednesday, she added. She said: “We will see more showers on Monday and Tuesday before a respite on Wednesday, then another low will be steered in from the Atlantic bringing us right back to square one. “The weather the moment is being partly driven by a fairly powerful low-latitude jet stream, it is further south than usual of rot time of year and pulling in these lows from the Atlantic. “Temperatures will be no great shakes over the next few days.”

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The foul weather over the past few days has been a far cry from this time last year when Britain was baking in a heatwave. Thermometers touched the 30C (86F) mark at the start of the school holidays after health alerts were issued for the heat during early July. The mercury is also around 15C down from the start of this summer which saw highs of almost 35C roast the nation during June. The Met Office’s 30-day outlook does not bode well for Britons desperate to ditch the brollies hit the beaches. It warns to expect heavy rain and freakishly strong winds during the first part of next week and again towards next weekend. It states: “A generally unsettled spell of weather is expected on Monday and Tuesday with a mixture of sunshine and showers for most, and possibly a spell of more prolonged rain in the southeast. “Heavy showers and strong winds are most likely in the north and west with a risk of hail and thunder, with lighter winds elsewhere.

SWNS

SWNS Britons should prepare for a rainy weekend ahead

“The unsettled pattern looks most likely set to continue until early August with further frontal systems affecting the United Kingdom, interspersed with clearer or perhaps showery weather and some unseasonably windy conditions at times, mainly in the north and west. “Temperatures should be around normal to cool, with perhaps only the far south east seeing some warmer and humid conditions at times.” AccuWeather forecaster Eric Leister said temperatures will stay close to or below normal for the next week at least.

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