The sixth heatwave of the year (so far) could bear down on the UK next month, the Met Office says.
The national weather service said in a long-range forecast on Sunday that temperatures will sizzle again even though it is technically autumn.
The forecast, from August 30 toSeptember 13, says: ‘There is a chance that late-season hot spells or heatwaves develop, especially in the south.’
The Met Office predicts ‘drier, more settled weather is slightly more likely towards the south and east’ and temperatures mellowing to average.
Sweaty Britons will finally get respite this week as temperatures are expected to lower in the week ahead.
‘The first few days of this period are likely to be rather changeable, with many parts of the UK seeing showers or perhaps some longer spells of rain,’ the Met Office says of August 20 to August 29.
High pressure – descending air that shooes away clouds – is expected in the north and west, with rain-causing low pressure in the south.
Low pressure systems swept in from the Atlantic will bring wind and rain, though forecasters say temperatures will still be above-average.
‘Though the possibility of widespread or exceptional heat is perhaps a little lower than in recent weeks,’ the Met Office adds.
The UK has been hammered this year by record-breaking temperatures, with the brutal summer sparking widespread drought and a rise in deaths.
After the fifth heatwave brought the hottest day of the year (again, so far) at 38.1°C, the government issued an emergency warning on Friday against using disposable barbeques in case it sparks wildfires.
The West Midlands declared a major incident on Thursday due to roaring wildfires that have consumed 500 acres and destroyed 19 homes.
Some 14 wildfires are burning in South Wales, with officials warning that the threat of flames will continue well into next week.
The threat of wildfires, the majority of which are caused by humans, is so great that experts told Metro the UK is suffering a ‘firewave’.
A ‘heat dome’ is partly to blame for this year’s blistering summer.
The dome, a type of stubborn high-pressure system that stops air from rising and forming clouds, intensified the extreme heat across Europe.
Experts said to Metro last month that a ‘super El Niño’ – a turbocharged weather system that blows hot ocean air – could also be heating the UK.
It can be tricky to say how climate catastrophe, caused by humans pumping planet-warming gases into the air when burning fossil fuels, has influenced the UK’s temperature this year.
But scientists know for sure that heatwaves are becoming more intense, more frequent and longer.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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