Drab June-uary drags on in Britain... as heatwave roasts Europe with searing 44C temperatures that causes two deaths

Drab Britain is set to continue with cool and wet weather for the next week Meanwhile a 'heat dome' in Europe is set to trap warm air across continentTwo deaths have been reported in Cyprus caused by searing 44C temperatures 

If you're wondering what happened to the summer - it's across the Channel.

Britain is set to continue with cool and wet weather for the next week in a drab month dubbed Juneuary.

But a 'heat dome' in Europe will trap warm air this week and exacerbate a heatwave that has already seen temperatures soar past 44C (111.2F) in some places and caused two deaths in Cyprus.

It means while firefighters are tackling wildfires in parts of the Continent, barbecuing will remain a hazardous pastime in the UK as showers threaten to extinguish the flames.

A dry spell with warmer temperatures should creep in from around Tuesday next week, however - possibly saving festivalgoers from a muddy quagmire at Glastonbury, which begins on June 26.

Rain over us: Britain is set to continue with cool and wet weather for the next week in a drab month dubbed Juneuary. Pictured: The military procession braves the weather on Saturday at Trooping The Colour

Soak up the...rain: Sunshine has largely evaded Britain in June. Royal fans fon their umbrellas on The Mall on Saturday

Meanwhile in Athens: The Parthenon was closed this week, with members of the Red Cross on hand to give out bottled water as temperatures soared across the continent

The Copernicus Climate Change Service's (C3S) seasonal forecast covering July, August and September predicts extreme and hotter-than-average temperatures in the Mediterranean

Arnau Fernandez, a forecaster with DTN, formerly MeteoGroup, said: 'There's a big contrast between the UK and central and southern Europe.

'A warm air mass is coming from Africa and settling across the Mediterranean and pushing into central Europe, while the UK has a northerly flow of air, which is why it's cooler.'

Mr Fernandez recommended carrying umbrellas 'just in case, and coats early in the morning'.

Temperatures have been between 2-4C below average in England and Wales during June, while daily rainfall has been 3-4mm above average.

Thermometers should just scrape past 20C (68F) in the south for the early part of this week but will not rise above 17C (62.6F) in the north.

By next week conditions will be 5-6C warmer, with parts of the south hitting 26C (78.8F).

The heat dome over Europe - an area of high pressure that parks over an area and traps warm air - intensifies heatwaves and significantly increases the risk of wildfires.

A high of 45.3C (113.5F) was recorded in Cyprus late last week, where an 84-year-old woman who died from heatstroke on Saturday became the second person to succumb to the condition in recent days.

Firefighters have also been tackling blazes on the island.

Other parts of Greece and Turkey have reached 44C (111.2F).

Countries hit by increasingly hot conditions from this week include Italy, Hungary, Poland, the Balkans and Germany, where the European Football Championship is taking place.

Meanwhile, local flooding is possible from surface water in part of the north of England on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Met Office.

Land, roads and some properties will be affected and there could be travel disruption.

A 'heat dome' in Europe will trap warm air this week and exacerbate a heatwave that has already seen temperatures soar past 44C (111.2F) and caused two deaths in Cyprus. Pictured: Firefighters struggle to battle spreading fires and strong winds in Cyprus caused by the heat