England to play Euro 2020 final in same weather conditions as the 1966 team
England’s football team should face the final Euro 2020 showdown under the same weather conditions as the 1966 team when they won the World Cup, the Met Office has said.
In what could be a good omen for Gareth Southgate’s squad, meteorologists have predicted the same 20C temperature and showery outlook which struck Wembley Stadium on the day of the final 55 years ago.
This comes despite the fact that average temperatures have risen markedly over the past half a century due to climate change, forecasters have said.
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: “I can tell you that on July 30 1966, the weather was very similar to what is forecast for Sunday.
“It reached around 20C and there were a few showers around.”
Mr Dewhurst said this follows a weekend of patchy rain for much of the nation.
A yellow weather warning for rain in the south-east corner of the country where there is a risk of flooding will last until 8pm on Friday before lighter showers in the following days.
Mr Dewhurst has said there will be a north-south divide on Saturday, with warmer temperatures in Scotland and northern England than in the Midlands and further south.
But Wimbledon fans can expect to stay drier than people in the North, which could see thunderstorms.
Mr Dewhurst said: “It’s going to be a mixed weekend for the vast majority of us.
“There’s going to be a north-south split on Saturday – the North will see sunny spells and heavy showers which could contain thunderstorms, with maximum temperatures of 22C.
“The South will see cloudy weather with patchy rain, and maximum temperatures of 20C.”
Mr Dewhurst added that football fans watching at Wembley and in Trafalgar Square should brace themselves for a risk of rain showers.
He said: “We have got a bright start across much of the UK, but we’ll see outbreaks of rain developing across Wales and south-west England on Sunday morning.
“This rain will move eastwards – probably reaching the London area at around 7pm or 8pm.”
This comes after turbulent weather on Friday spawned “mini-tornadoes” in the North East, including in Darlington, where an NHS worker, Dean Ball, caught one on video.
Mr Dewhurst said the phenomenon is known as a funnel cloud.
He said: “It’s a tornado that doesn’t touch the ground.
“We have seen a few over the last few days actually, where there has been low pressure over the UK.”
The spinning fingers of cloud are caused by the collision of warm and cool air currents moving in different directions.