The UK has been basking in gloriously hot weather over the past week, with temperatures reaching above 30C in some parts.
The recent bout of heat has seen much of the country experience their fourth heatwave of the summer so far and more dry and settled weather is on the cards for this week. The Met Office is forecasting largely dry and sunny conditions across the UK this week, with temperatures remaining near normal for August during the day, although the nights will start to turn a little chillier heading towards the weekend, particularly in countryside areas.
At the moment, the forecast looks promising ahead of the August summer bank holiday, which falls on Monday, August 25, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with conditions expected to remain largely fine and dry heading into next week.
As such, it’s likely that the summer bank holiday won’t be a complete washout although the Met Office has said a weather system moving in from the Atlantic over the weekend could lead to more “changeable conditions”.
The current forecast suggests rain is likely to arrive in the early part of next week, which could potentially include the bank holiday, but the wetter and windier weather is expected more widely in the last week of August.
In its long range weather forecast for Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 31, the Met Office said: “High pressure is likely to be the dominant feature at first bringing widely fine and dry weather whilst a generally northerly flow leads to rather cool conditions.
“This will be increasingly eroded from the west as frontal systems start to move in from the Atlantic through the weekend, leading to more changeable conditions.
“Whilst this is happening a deep area of low pressure is likely to develop in the North Atlantic, linked to Hurricane Erin. This likely progresses towards the UK through the early part of the week.
“The changeable period will likely continue through the last week of August, especially in the north and west, with a small chance of widely wetter and windier weather developing. The evolution of this is highly uncertain though.”
As for the start of September, the Met Office said low pressure will likely lead to unsettled and changeable weather, with some strong winds at times, although temperatures should remain close to or above average.
In its forecast for September 1 to 15, the national forecaster added: “Confidence in the details through this period is low. However, low pressure and therefore unsettled or changeable weather looks more likely. There will be the potential for periods of stronger winds at times as well.
“Whether this takes the form of further low pressure systems running in from the Atlantic, or a more slowly evolving weather pattern with the potential for heavy showers is less clear. Temperatures are likely to be near to, or slightly above average overall.”
