Parts of the UK could record temperatures higher than Spain and Turkey in an “unseasonal” period of mild weather, according to the Met Office. Hot on the heels of the country’s hottest summer on record, November could prove warmer and drier than expected, with some areas almost reaching 20C this week. Despite late October ushering in unsettled, windy and wet weather, the Met Office has predicted a shift in conditions in the coming days, with warm temperatures set to peak at 18C on Wednesday.
The “unseasonably mild” conditions are likely to be confined to southeastern regions, the forecaster said, but could mark a departure from the maximum regional temperature typically recorded in November, around 11 °C. It would put parts of the country on a warmer footing than several popular holiday destinations, including Madrid, which is expected to reach 14C by mid-week, and Istanbul, which is forecast to be around 16C.
The Met Office said southern and eastern areas could also see highs of 17C on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, before dropping to around 16C and continuing to decline over the weekend.
“Temperatures will be broadly above average across the UK through this week, with temperatures turning to around average through the next weekend,” a spokesperson said, as per The Independent.
“Notably, temperatures overnight on Wednesday will be mild too, with temperatures only dropping to 14C in some places in the south. Further north, lows of 6C are forecast on Wednesday night in rural Scotland and rural Wales.”
The national forecaster also told social media followers that they “probably won’t need the extra thick blankets” on Monday night, with overnight temperatures “set to be several degrees higher than we’d normally expect for the start of November”.
It follows the UK’s similarly high temperatures in October, paired with one of its dullest autumnal months on record, with a total of just 63.3 hours of sunshine.
The country also had its warmest summer on record, linked to factors including a dominant high-pressure system, a marine heatwave enhancing air temperatures and the effects of climate change.
Despite the unusually mild conditions, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Tuesday and Wednesday in the northwest and southwest. People living in the impacted areas were warned to expect up to 30mm of rain, with exposed parts of Wales and Devon potentially seeing up to 50mm.