Sharp Cold Snap of Up to 15 Degrees to Hit Europe After Heatwave

Europe, which recorded scorching temperatures this week, is set for an abrupt weather shift in the coming days: meteorologists report that a cold front moving in from the west will bring temperatures down by 10-15 degrees. In Spain, the mercury climbed to 45.7 °C — the country's highest reading this year — while France saw temperatures hit 40.3 °C, setting a new national September record.

The heatwave is being driven by a powerful anticyclone, around whose edge very warm air is flowing into the continent. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the influx of heat across Western and Southern Europe will peak, but at the same time a pronounced cold front will begin advancing from the west.

Czechia Also Braces for a Sharp Contrast

Daytime temperatures across Europe could drop by roughly 10 degrees in just one or two days, and in some areas where the air warms above 30 °C ahead of the front's arrival, the decline could reach around 15 degrees.

Czechia won't be spared the shift either. On Tuesday — and in the eastern part of the country on Wednesday as well — daytime highs in many places will approach or exceed 30 degrees. By Thursday, however, temperatures in many regions will fail to reach even 20 °C.

The most striking contrast is expected on Wednesday, as the frontal boundary sweeps across the country: in western Czechia, the thermometer may show only around 17 °C, while in southern Moravia the air will warm to 32 °C. Similar temperature swings are expected in other European countries as well.

Despite the sharpness of the cooldown, truly cold weather won't follow once the front passes — temperatures will simply return to what's typical for the first half of September, and may initially dip slightly below average. This only underscores just how extreme the preceding heat really was.

Rain, Then a Return to Dry Weather

The cold front will also bring precipitation to some regions. The heaviest rainfall is expected in northern Italy and around the Adriatic, where totals could reach 100 millimeters. In Czechia, heavy rain is also possible in places on Wednesday, though its intensity will depend on the exact timing of the front's passage.

By the weekend, weather across Europe is expected to stabilize. Forecast models point to the return of an anticyclone and more settled conditions. So while the cold front will bring a noticeable cooldown and some rain, it appears set to open the door to Atlantic air masses only briefly. Current projections suggest the rest of September could see moderately warm and fairly dry weather, though the further out the forecast, the less reliable it becomes.

Source: novinky.cz