Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Ishani Mistry (MetDesk)

Weather tracker: Storms make way for summer heat in Europe

The sun sets over Florence, Italy
The weekend temperatures in Florence, Italy, could climb to about 10C above the June norm. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

The severe thunderstorms that have been lashing parts of Europe over recent days are expected to give way to high temperatures this week. Several regions could climb to 10C (50F) above seasonal norms, with Italy braced for the full force of the heat. Florence in Tuscany is forecast to soar to a sweltering 39C on Thursday and across the weekend.

Germany, France and Belgium will also face hot weather from Wednesday, with widespread highs at least 9C above the June average. Many other parts of Europe are forecast to experience temperatures 5-7C above normal. This is the result of a high-pressure system creating a heat dome over the region, whereby sinking air compresses and warms as it descends, trapping heat near the surface.

Meanwhile, South Africa is in the grip of a powerful storm system that has triggered alerts for severe weather nationwide. Over the weekend, Western Cape and Northern Cape bore the brunt of the system. As the week progresses, the storm is likely to intensify and move eastwards, bringing extreme weather to central and eastern regions.

The conditions are driving a significant drop in temperature, with daytime highs in some areas plummeting to more than 7C below the seasonal average. Gusty winds are making it feel even more frigid.

Heavy rain has also been hammering Eastern Cape, with coastal areas expected to be hit by more than 100mm on Monday, potentially causing floods. Strong winds sweeping across the region are expected to strengthen to about 60mph (100km/h) on Monday, exacerbating the impact of the storm. Snowfall is also expected, with significant accumulations likely to cause widespread travel disruption and infrastructure challenges.

The intense weather is the result of a strong cut-off low system, which occurs when a low-pressure area becomes detached from the main jet stream. This allows cold, dry air to descend from higher altitudes and combine with moisture at the surface to produce the volatile mix of rain, wind and snow that has been battering swaths of the country.

South African authorities are urging residents to stay alert, limit travel and monitor official weather updates over the coming days.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.