Britain predicts terrible thunderstorm in Iberian Peninsula with 21 days of rain in three hours

Meteorologists predict that a thunderstorm in the Iberian Peninsula this weekend could bring a heavy downpour of rainfall equivalent to a month’s worth of rain.

Recent trends have seen Britons bask in extreme heat, with the mercury hovering around 30 degrees for much of last week. Despite the summery highs, not everyone has had the chance to enjoy the warmer weather, with persistent rain pushing up humidity levels across the country.

When the country was hit by severe internet outages last Friday, meteorologists found that temperatures had reached 31 degrees Celsius, one of the highest temperatures of the year so far. While it won’t get much colder in the coming weeks, recent weather maps from WXCharts and Ventusky show a much stormier picture thanks to similar conditions in mainland Europe.

WXCharts maps show a stormy mass building up from Spain this week, with a rainstorm developing on the country’s west coast between Monday and Friday and sweeping across France before reaching the UK on Saturday. The charts turn red, yellow and green as the system makes landfall in the UK, with a giant, stormy blob settling across much of south-east England on 27 July.

Additional maps from Ventusky show similar rainy conditions and extra lightning throughout the day, while also predicting the total rainfall Britons can expect that day. At its worst, the storm could drop up to 13 mm (0.5 in) of rain on London in three hours, and up to 39 mm (1.5 in) in total.

With an average total rainfall of around 46 mm (1.8 in) in the month of July in the UK, Britons could see around 21 days of rain in just a few hours if forecasts are correct. The Met Office has also spotted stormy weather on the horizon after this weekend, with its long-range forecast of “severe and thundery” weather between 27 July and 5 August.

The forecast reads: “Sunny weather and showers, some of which may be heavy and thundery, are expected in many parts of the UK on Saturday, along with below-average temperatures. By Sunday it is likely to become drier, with sunny spells in most parts and temperatures close to normal.

“It is uncertain how long this mainly dry period will last, but a more variable pattern is likely to develop over the following week. This is likely to involve showers or prolonged rain showers, some of which may be heavy and thundery, interspersed with some periods of dry, clear weather. Regional details are uncertain, but the wettest weather is likely to be in northern and western areas, with the south and east drier. Temperatures are likely to be close to average or slightly above.”