Mini-heatwave heading to UK as southern Europe swelters in 'hellishly hot' weather

After a wet start to July with well-above average rainfall figures, parts of the country can expect a mini-heatwave ahead.

However, on the continent, a bloc of African air has brought "hellishly hot" conditions to parts of Europe and the Balkans.

The Met Office previously issued yellow weather warnings for rain for parts of the UK, with some places receiving as much as 15-20mm in as little as an hour.

This comes off the back of well-above average rainfall figures during the first half of the month.

The whole of England has already seen 97% of its average July rainfall, with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland seeing 65%, 49% and 47% respectively.

However, the weather is set to improve, if only briefly, with a mini-heatwave on the way this weekend.

Temperatures around southern parts of the UK could peak around 30C on Friday and Saturday.

But any heat won't last long, with cooler conditions expected on Sunday.

Most would agree that the weather so far this summer has been rather disappointing.

In fact, some weather stations across southern and eastern England saw around half their July rainfall in 24 hours on Monday.

Nottingham recorded 37.8mm, while London Heathrow saw 29mm.

The region of southern England has already recorded more rainfall than its July average, and we're only half way through the month.

Other parts of northwest Europe have been wet and cool as well this summer, with Belgium reporting that the past 10 months (including July) have seen above average rainfall, with high impacts on agriculture.

Parts of northwest Europe will see changes this week, with high pressure over central Europe edging north and west to extend across southern parts of the UK.

That will allow some warmer air to move in over the next few days.

England and Wales will see temperatures rise, potentially reaching a high of 30C (86F) in the South East on Friday and Saturday, although some computer models suggest the high 20s.

It'll be warm at night too, with the chance of tropical nights in southeast England - that happens when the air temperature doesn't fall below 20C (68F).

The heat won't last long with fresher conditions expected on Sunday.

In contrast, northern parts of the UK and Ireland will see temperatures closer to average this week, with spells of rain, but Wednesday looks mainly dry there.

Further afield, the heat across southeast Europe has been relentless this summer, with temperatures currently 5-10C (41-50F) above average, reaching the high 30s and low 40s for some.

Rare red high temperature warnings have been issued, stretching from Romania and Bulgaria across to Croatia and southern Italy.

The heat combined with a dry atmosphere brings a high chance of wildfires too, especially where any isolated thunderstorms may develop.

It looks like the heatwave will ease a little across northern parts of southeast Europe by the weekend.

It was hot last month too, with the Cyprus Department of Meteorology recently announcing that 42 weather stations in the country (out of 52) saw a record high temperature for June.

The Italian health ministry has placed 12 cities under its most severe heat warning.

Temperatures have swept over 40C (104F) - with the worst still to come.

Several cities have taken measures to look after the elderly as wildfires have raged in southern Italy and North Macedonia.

"It's hellishly hot," said Carmen Diaz, a tourist from Madrid who had travelled to Rome.

Cities from Trieste, in the north of Italy, to Rome have been placed under a red heat warning and Palermo, Sicily, was expected to join the list later this week.

In Greece, air conditioned spaces have been made available to the public and certain forms of outdoor work, like manual labour, deliveries and construction, have also been banned at the hottest times of the day.

Temperatures were expected to hit 42C (107F) on Wednesday and Thursday across several countries and Spain's national weather service said the Guadalquivir river basin could get as hot as 44C (111F).

In Albania, where temperatures were expected to hit 42C, a 72-year-old man was found dead at his farm in Memaliaj, 125 miles (200km) south of the capital Tirana.

The cause of the death is believed to be related to the heat, according to local reports, but there has been no confirmation by authorities.

-bbc