The start of the month has been wet and cold for most of us, with temperatures below or just above the seasonal average. Some parts of the country, including Loftus in North Yorkshire and Northolt in London, have already recorded more than twice the average rainfall for July.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for rain on Monday, with some areas receiving 15-20mm in just an hour and 30-40mm over several hours.
The warning was issued on St Swithin’s Day, which, as the saying goes, could mean it will rain for another 40 days.
The cool and wet July is due to the jet stream (a fast-moving wind moving high in the atmosphere) being mainly over or to the south of the UK.
Rainfall was not everywhere, however. Some areas in the north and west, including Castlederg in Northern Ireland and Machrihanish in western Scotland, were relatively dry, receiving only 20-25% of their average July rainfall.
Northern Ireland is much drier than last July, which was the wettest month on record.
