TYPICALLY, the month of July is filled with sunshine and BBQ’s but this July has brought wet weather and wind.

With restrictions eased across England this summer we expected balmy nights in beer gardens.

Instead, July so far has been filled with unpredictable weather with Hampshire having been hit with low temperatures, strong wind and with almighty down pours thrown in for good measure. 

Is there any sign of sunshine on the horizon?

We have spoken to forecasters to find out what is causing this miserable spell and to see if better days are ahead. 

What is causing the bad weather?

The cause of this bad weather comes down to an area of low pressure across the UK, The Met Office told The Advertiser.

A spokesperson for the Devon-based weather agency said: “We have had low pressure dominating the UK over the last month so that has brought with it unsettled weather, rain and showers and temperatures on the cooler side.”

It is not just our imaginations. This July is already far wetter than normal for Hampshire.

Although we are just a week into the month, Hampshire has already seen 57 per cent of its average rainfall for July, with 30.3mm falling across the county.

Meaning during the first week of July we have already seen over half the average rain fall for Hampshire- highlighting how much wetter than average it has actually been.

The start of the month has also been around two degrees cooler than a typical July with Hampshire usually seeing an average temperature of 21 degrees Celsius.

When will the weather improve?

The bad news is there is at least another week of showers, according to The Met Office.

A spokesperson told the Advertiser: “It looks like it will stay unsettled throughout the rest of this week into the weekend and into the first part of next week. There are some tentative signs that from the middle part of next week, the weather will start to turn drier, brighter, sunnier and a little bit warmer.”

When asked if a heatwave could be on the horizon, the Met Office said: “At the moment there is nothing on the horizon to suggest we will see anything particularly hot. But we can’t rule out a heat wave because the further ahead we forecast, the more uncertainty develops. There is growing confidence that from the middle of next week it will be a little bit warmer.”

The latest weather forecast for Hampshire:

Today:

On the cloudy side at times, but brighter and less windy than Tuesday on the whole, with the north and west most prone to showers, some heavy and perhaps thundery later. Parts of the south and east staying dry. Maximum temperature 21 °C.

Tonight:

Showers dying away quickly through the evening with cloud thinning and clear spells developing before midnight. This will allow the odd mist or fog patch to form later. Minimum temperature 13 °C.

Thursday:

Clear spells at first with short-lived mist and fog patches. Scattered showers developing, perhaps turning heavy, especially further north. Showers dying out towards evening. Light winds. Maximum temperature 23 °C.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:

Changeable, with further clear or sunny spells but also showers, heavy or thundery at times. Merging into longer spells of rain on Saturday. Temperatures mostly near normal, with light winds.

Monday 12 Jul - Wednesday 21 Jul

We could see a continuation of showers and longer periods of rain going into next week, these potentially heavy and widespread. From mid-next week onwards, conditions could gradually become more settled with a good deal of dry weather, variable cloud and spells of sunshine, though this is still uncertain. For the remainder of this period, there is a greater chance of warmer and drier than average conditions overall. The occasional spell of rain and unsettled weather are still possible, particularly over northwestern areas. However, most of the UK could see fine and dry conditions with light showers at times. Temperatures are likely to be around average in the northwest and above average elsewhere, whilst south and southeastern areas could see conditions feeling very warm.

Wednesday 21 Jul - Wednesday 4 Aug

For the rest of July and into early August, there is a chance of conditions being warmer and drier than average overall. Some occasional spells of unsettled weather are still possible, especially in the northwest of the UK, but most areas should have a good deal of fine and dry weather. There remains a low risk of thunder, especially across southern and eastern areas. Temperatures are likely to be above average, with the south possibly feeling very warm or hot at times.