Thunderstorms are difficult to predict — and heatwaves make it even harder

If you’re in the UK, you may not have slept well this week. According to the weather gauges at the University of Reading, where I work, Tuesday 11 August was the third hottest night in records that date back to 1908. But it seems that, as is often the case with summer hot spells, the heatwave is ending with some spectacular thunderstorms. Tragically, downpours in Scotland are even thought to have played a part in a landslide that derailed a train – although it is still too early to say for sure. At the time of writing, the forecast shows…

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