After days of record-breaking June temperatures, the heat that has gripped the UK eased today – but an amber warning has been extended into tomorrow morning for the east and south east of England. The reprieve came with violent thunderstorms that caused severe disruption at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, grounding flights and stranding passengers.
The cooler weather offers little respite for the rest of Europe, where a heat dome that previously sat over France, Spain and Italy has shifted eastwards. The Netherlands is among the latest nations bracing for temperatures in excess of 40 Celsius, while red alerts for extreme heat have expanded into Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
“UK heat eases after record-breaking June temps, but amber warning extended; thunderstorms hit Heathrow and Gatwick.”
With the amber warning still in force for parts of England, the threat of further storms and travel chaos remains. The question now is whether the heat will return – or whether this is the beginning of a new, more volatile weather pattern across the continent.