Temperatures expected to hit 30C during ‘intense’ weekend hot spell
An intense burst of hot weather is set to hit the UK this weekend, with temperatures forecast to reach 33C in parts of the country.
Warm air will move up from Europe on Saturday and through Sunday and Monday, before temperatures dip again on Tuesday to average levels for this time of year.
England and Wales are expected to see temperatures hit the high 20s and low 30s, with high teens and low 20s forecast for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicky Maxey said: “The hot spell is short-lived but quite intense."
She added: “Temperatures are due to peak on Monday and rapidly return to average on Tuesday and Wednesday."
Sunday and Monday are expected to be the warmest days, with highs expected to reach 31C in London, 25C in Manchester, 22C in Glasgow and 21C in Belfast.
The highest temperature of the year so far is 32C recorded in London at the end of July.
It it thought that tropical Storm Debby in the US, which battered Florida with heavy rain and high winds this week, is partly behind the rise in UK temperatures.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Nick Silkstone explained that the storm in North America will strengthen and shift the jet stream, which plays a significant role in UK weather, causing it to move further south.
This dip in the jet stream is expected to move across the mid-Atlantic this weekend and early next week, bringing a southwesterly flow to the UK.
As a result, a hot airmass could develop, particularly in the southeast.
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The high temperatures will see a rise in pollen count throughout the country along with high UV levels.
The Met Office recommends covering up during midday hours and wearing sunscreen.
According to Ms Maxey, it is not unusual to see short spells of warm weather and this is not considered a heatwave as temperatures need to reach above a certain threshold for three consecutive days in order to meet the criteria.
The Met Office’s recent State of Climate report revealed that 2023 was the second hottest year on record for the UK as a whole, and the hottest ever for Wales and Northern Ireland.
The annual UK temperature was 1.66C higher than the average between 1961 and 1990.
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