16 August, Minsk /Tatsiana Lobas - BELTA/. The exhausting heat in Belarus will be replaced by refreshing coolness this week, Olga Fedotova, chief meteorologist of the Republican Hydrometeorological Centre, told a BELTA correspondent. Over the next two days, 17 and 18 August, a confrontation will persist between the cool air mass coming from Western Europe and the very hot air mass located over our country. Therefore, in the zone of influence of the atmospheric front, in the west of Belarus, short-term rains with thunderstorms are expected tonight, and tomorrow afternoon – over most of the country. Heavy downpours and hail are possible in some areas. During thunderstorms, squally winds are predicted with gusts up to 15-22 metres per second, and during daytime hours, in some places up to 24 metres per second. On 17 August, air temperature will range from plus 24 degrees in the west to plus 36 degrees in the east of Belarus. On 18 August, the atmospheric front, continuing its movement to the east of Belarus, will cause thunderstorm rains over most of the country, with heavy downpours predicted in some areas. Gusty winds are expected during thunderstorms. And it will not be as hot – from 20 to 27 degrees, only in the east – up to plus 30. On Thursday and Friday, cool air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean will lower the air temperature at night to 10-17 degrees, and the daytime temperature will range from plus 15-16 degrees in the north to 23-25 in the south of Belarus. Thus, characteristic late August weather will be established in Belarus this week.-0-

BELTA