Wednesday marks the start of autumn according to the calendar – and in northern Europe, it’s hard to miss. The first autumn storms are already swirling over the Atlantic.

Their impressive spiralling clouds will be heading towards Europe over the next few days.

Those in Ireland and Scotland should be prepared for rather unpleasant weather. With plenty of heavy rain and stormy winds. Conditions can be particularly rough along the coasts.

Further south in Europe, the picture is quite different. In France and Italy, with temperatures around 30 degrees, it really feels like summer again. In southern Spain, temperatures are even set to exceed 35 degrees – and the weather there remains perfect for a swim.

So whilst a rain jacket and windproof clothing are a must in the north, in the south you can still get by in a T-shirt and shorts. Europe is experiencing quite a contrast in the weather as autumn gets underway.