Met Office issues 'strong winds' warning to Brits during summer holiday washout

31 July 2023 , 14:04

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Prepare for more bad weather this week, the Met Office says (Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Families have been warned to expect downpours and gale-force winds as they head to the seaside for their summer holidays.

In a grim new forecast, the Met Office says more adverse conditions will sweep across the country this week - with no end to Britain's washout summer in sight. Parents hoping for some nice weather to spend with the kids on the beach to mark the school holidays will be left especially disappointed, as strong winds are likely along the coasts throughout much of the week.

A dry day on Tuesday will be followed by "unseasonable" conditions on Wednesday, followed by several days of rain and gales across much of the UK. Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said: “With the school holidays underway and many families planning outdoor activities the unseasonably strong winds could also have an impact.

An improvement in the weather is unlikely in the near future, forecasters say (Getty Images)

"While many coastal areas will see breezy conditions at times through the week, some strong or even gale force winds are possible along coastal areas of the south and south-west through Wednesday in particular."

Some surface area flooding could also be seen in areas hit by heavy rain on Wednesday, with northeast England expected to bear the brunt of the storms. The meteorologist added: “On Wednesday there is a chance of impacts both from rainfall and strong winds. Persistent rain feeding into eastern part of northern England in particular, sees the risk of some surface water flooding.

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"There is also the potential for some heavy and thundery showers, which could be slow moving in places with a risk of hail, across central and southern areas. The stronger winds however are more limited to the south coast."

Temperatures will also stay cool across all regions, with daytime highs of around 19-20C in the south for most of the week reaching only the mid-teens further north. It comes while heatwave conditions persist in southern Europe, and much of mainland Greece will likely see 37C Celsius by the start of the weekend.

Looking into August, the national forecaster said there are "no strong signals for any warmer or more settled weather" any time soon, as the phase of unsettled weather pushed by the jet stream appears "likely to continue to dominate at least for the first half of the month". While bright and dry interludes would most likely be later in August, it also looks "fairly unlikely that we will see any prolonged or excessive heat", with the chance of heatwaves in the UK being lower than in recent years.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas