Temperatures in the UK could soon rise to 34C once more as the Met Office warned new heatwaves may be on their way after heavy downpours provided a brief respite from the scorching weather
Temperatures are set to reach a scorching 34C as yet another heatwave bakes Britain. Downpours have this week given bone-dry Britain a brief reprieve after half of England was plunged into drought by five summer heatwaves.
But the cooler temperatures are not expected to last as the Met Office say more heatwaves may be on the horizon as we head into September. And weather forecasting models say the sweltering heat could soar again within in the next fortnight.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid to low-20s in southern areas this week, dropping into the high teens in northern areas.
Rain is also forecast across large swathes of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England. But in its forecast for September 2 to September 16, the Met Office says “late season hot spells or heatwaves” could develop, particularly in southern areas.
However “a broad northwest-southeast split in conditions” is on the cards, with more northern areas facing “the lion’s share of the rain and any strong winds” while southern areas are likely to be drier.
The Met Office declares an official heatwave when temperatures hit the “heatwave threshold” three days in a row. The threshold stands at 28C in the south-east, where conditions tend to be warmer, and drops to 25C the further away from the south-east you go.
And the Global Forecast System (GFS) model suggests the mercury could rise back to 30C in eastern parts of England on September 1.
The data shows potential highs of 29C in the Midlands, with temperatures possibly rising to 28C as far north as Yorkshire, and to 26C in South Wales. Even warmer conditions could then follow on September 2.
The data shows potential highs of 34C in Essex, with 32-33C on the cards quite widely across eastern and south-eastern England.
Temperature anomaly maps for the start of September show England and Wales shaded in areas of orange and red, suggesting temperatures will rise above the seasonal average once more.
In total, the GFS model suggests 15 counties could see temperatures of 31C or more at the start of September. They are all in eastern or south-eastern England.
The summer has already seen five sizzling heatwaves. The hot spells in May and June led to 2,800 excess deaths. Last month was the driest July for England and Wales since records began in 1836.
UK counties facing 31C or more
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Cambridgeshire
- Bedfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Hertfordshire
- Essex
- Oxfordshire
- Berkshire
- Hampshire
- Surrey
- Kent
- Sussex