The UK could be graced with one last spell of warm weather before the autumn kicks in.
Britain has endured a record-breaking heatwave summer, which brought tropical temperatures and sunshine but also left a serious drought that still lingers.
Although the sweaty nights and scorching days now feel like a bad dream, it is difficult to say goodbye to the summer altogether.
And next week’s weather forecast means you might not need to pack up the sandals quite yet.
What is next week’s weather forecast?
Parts of the country, especially the south and London, are in line for a balmy spell that could see temperatures peak at 26C.
The Met Office forecast shows that the sunny and mellow weather could hold throughout the week.
London’s warmest days are set to be Monday and Tuesday, with mercury hitting over 23C on both days, while nighttime temperatures hover just below 20C.
The throwback summer is caused by changes over the Atlantic, which is fanning up a low-pressure front west of the UK, Met Office said.
While it is not expected to sweep directly above the British Isles, it is expected to funnel warmer air from the continent and subtropical Atlantic.
Met Office says: ‘After a few fading showers on Sunday and Monday, a ridge of high pressure is expected to build across the UK, paving the way for increasingly settled conditions into the middle of next week. Temperatures are forecast to climb steadily rather than surge dramatically, with warm sunshine helping values rise from day to day.
‘The highest temperatures are most likely across southern parts of the UK, where current forecasts suggest highs could reach the upper 20s by the end of next week. While confidence is lower further north, much of the country is likely to see a spell of warmer-than-average weather as high pressure remains in control.
‘These temperatures would be notably warm for late September and could offer a final taste of summer before autumn becomes more firmly established.’
Some areas of the UK faced five heatwaves beginning in May, one in late June, two in July and around a month ago in August.
A rare extreme heat alert was issued in June, and the tough conditions have taken a toll, with around 2,877 deaths in England associated with the May and June heatwaves, according to the UKHSA.
The most recent heatwave, in mid-August, saw temperatures climb as high as 38.2C at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, on August 13, making it the hottest day of the year.
Most of England and all of Wales remain officially in drought, the exceptions being the North East, North West and Yorkshire.
Reservoir storage in England currently stands at 56%, nearly 20 percentage points below the average for this time of year, the Environment Agency said on Friday.
The situation is so dire that England will need seven months of above-average rainfall to bring the drought-struck areas back to normal.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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