A strong dome of high pressure over Europe and low pressure out over the Atlantic brings a temperature seesaw. Ahead of a distinct frontal boundary temps are on the rise and behind, well their dropping. The UK has experienced a distinct north-south split in weather. The boundary separating the air masses has triggered heavy showers and thunderstorms and is now pushing through Southeast England. AHEAD of the approaching front, temperatures have increased but it’s MUCH fresher behind but with the help of sunshine, temperatures respond under a strong August sun.

Current 500mb height anomaly.

Following a bleak, cool weekend and early week, Scotland warmed nicely into the 18-22C range under sunny skies. The fresh air mass allowed comfortable nights and days but this was in stark contrast from the cool, damp previous day. On the warm, humid south side of the front, Southeast England for a 2nd straight day exceeded 28C to 30C widely from Birmingham to Kent with nights failing to cool much below 20C thanks to high humidity.

Gravesend, Kent took the prize of not only the UK’s warmest reading yesterday with 33.9C but the UK’s hottest of the year and warmest August reading for the UK since 2013.

Let’s take a look back at August 2013

Northern France including the Paris area saw record highs yesterday beneath the core of the heat.

Yesterday’s highs over Northern France

Yesterday morning started off warm, especially in Paris.

FEATURE IMAGE: Météo Villes @Meteovilles

[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)]

The multiday hot stagnant air mass over Paris is leading to increased ground level ozone levels.

Today’s Europe surface and temperature chart.

Hotter in Paris, cooler in London

With the front now crossing London, temperatures will be 3-6C lower than yesterday but still warm and muggy at around 28C, with the front sliding in, there’s perfect fuel for strong thunderstorms to develop this afternoon and evening. Paris remains well ahead of the front and could exceed yesterday’s record 36.6C.

Forecasted highs over France

Record highs between August 25-31.

Current webcam views across Paris show a cloud free sky!

Today’s surface off the GFS shows a hot continent, stormy SSE UK.

Into the weekend and things get complex as an area of low pressure approaches the SW UK. The next couple of days will see the heat build further east over Germany but with the presence of an incoming low, this hot and humid air resurges NNW back into the SSE UK and could bring low 30s back into London and the Southeast during Saturday but a warm front associated with that low approaching the Bristol Channel and the warm, humid air being lifted NNW is likely to generate some very stormy weather through the weekend over the heart of the UK.

See today’s video for more on next week.

[/s2If][s2If current_user_cannot(access_s2member_level1)][magicactionbox id=”18716″][/s2If]