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BRITAIN is in the grip of an Arctic blast as bonkers weather splits Europe in three.

It's seen Spanish resorts hit by floods — cancelling more than 100 flights — and in Athens the Acropolis closed to tourists amid 43C heat.

Revellers brave the rain at the Royal Windsor Racecourse earlier this week
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Revellers brave the rain at the Royal Windsor Racecourse earlier this weekCredit: Alamy
Outbreaks of rain will push through the UK on Thursday
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Outbreaks of rain will push through the UK on Thursday

Here, temperatures plummeted to 11C in Fylingdales, North Yorks, yesterday as the miserable start to summer continues.

The Met Office’s Rebekah Sherwin blamed a northerly airflow due to high pressure to the west and low pressure over Scandinavia.

And she warned: “The immediate forecast suggests no strong signal for temperatures to get above average. The forecast into next week remains largely unsettled with showers, some heavy, in places.”

Meanwhile, torrential rain sparked mayhem in Majorca and Costa Blanca.

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Palma’s airport was submerged with one video showing a worker diving into the water on a runway to show how deep it was. Rain cascaded into airport buildings.

Roads across eastern Spain were also brought to a standstill.

In Greece, schools were shut and Red Cross medics handed out 12,000 free bottles of water.

In Cyprus, wildfires swept through parched scrubland.

Extreme weather across Europe is a growing cause for concern.

Last year, Greece suffered some of the worst wildfires in ­living memory, with thousands of Brits fleeing the island of Rhodes.

Rescue operation at hols hotspot as flooding leaves drivers trapped in cars

This week's Met Office forecast

Thursday: Outbreaks of rain, locally heavy pushing northeastwards across the UK through Thursday, accompanied by coastal gales in the southwest during the afternoon.

Remaining dry in the east until late afternoon.

Friday to Sunday: Often unsettled with showers or long spells of rain, some heavy and thundery both Friday and Saturday. Some sunny spells around too, more so on Sunday. Staying cool and breezy.

Planes were grounded at Palma airport following torrential rain
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Planes were grounded at Palma airport following torrential rainCredit: Solarpix
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