It is already July and the region has only experienced three days of decent summer weather. So, when will it get better?

A yellow weather warning was extended for parts of the UK as further thunderstorms and heavy rainfall battered the country this week.

The Met Office said motorists are likely to experience delays to their journeys because of flooded roads and spray, in some areas.

Later this week, there will be spells of heavy rain and this will extend into next week.

There has been almost constant cloud cover across the North West for a number of days and the spells of rain have affected attendances at a number of outdoor community and sporting events.

But will it get better later this month?

A long-range weather forecast on the Met Office reveals there are ‘some signs of a slightly greater than normal chance of a more prolonged settled spell developing at some point during the period’ from July 24.

Whilst it may be drier in the south and central England the North West will continue to bare the brunt of the brutal wet weather for a while yet.

Much of this has got to do with the position of the Jet Stream which is located in a more southerly position this year.

According to provisional Met Office figures, June started meteorological summer on a cool note, despite a late-month warm spell.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Hayter said: “The position of the jet stream, which is a ribbon of air high up in the atmosphere, is often the driving force behind the weather we experience in the UK.

“Just small shifts in the position of the jet stream can lead to big differences in the weather we experience on the ground. 

“In recent weeks, the jet stream has been either directed towards the UK, or shifted further south, which has predominantly brought cooler air over the UK, with frequent incursions of some unseasonable winds and rain.

“For warm weather in the UK in summer, you’d tend to see the jet stream shifted further north, which allows the possibility of warmer air to drift over the UK from the south, though this isn’t always the case. 

“Unfortunately for those who like the warmth, we have only had brief periods where this pattern has been present in summer so far.”

In Met Office blog earlier this week David added: “While there’s much uncertainty in the forecast at this range, there are some subtle signs of a more settled spell possibly developing, at least for a time, in the second half of July. 

“It’s far too early to give any details on how this could develop, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest forecast. There also remains an ongoing chance of unsettled periods of weather and much will depend on the dominant conditions day-to-day as the forecast takes shape.”