A month’s rain in one week – BBC Weather on why July is so wet

Schools have already broken up for summer holidays in Scotland and Northern Ireland with holidays looming large for England and Wales, but it’s summer itself that seems to be on a lengthy holiday.

It’s been a cool start to July and some places have already had more than their July average rainfall.

Some parts of England, especially in East Anglia, the Midlands and the south-east, have already seen around a month’s worth of rain.

Up to Monday morning the wettest spot compared to its expected monthly average was Northolt in west London, with 66mm of rain in the first seven days of the month – 139% of the total we would expect there for the whole of July.

But it hasn’t been as wet everywhere – rainfall amounts are much closer to average so far this July overall in Scotland and Northern Ireland.