The United Kingdom could experience another heatwave towards the end of this week, though thunderstorms and rain showers are also likely to arrive. Temperatures in parts of England may reach 28C or higher by Thursday, with some areas set to be hotter than Spain.
Current Weather Conditions
Britons woke up to dry and settled weather this morning, according to the Met Office, with further cloud and rainfall possible into Tuesday. However, Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick indicated that high pressure building across the country will bring warm and humid conditions, with temperatures climbing above the seasonal average in some regions.
"Throughout the week things are heating up in the south and the South East. We've got high pressure starting to build, and there's a warm plume moving up through continental Europe," she said.
Heatwave or Not?
"Whether or not it'll be a heatwave remains to be seen as there's still a lot to play for, but things are certainly turning a lot warmer, if not maybe even hot, by the end of the week, although this is mostly confined to the South East," Criswick added. The heat is also expected to bring humidity, along with potential clouds and rain.
Londoners will be basking in 28C on Thursday, with partly sunny skies sure to see pubs overflowing with revellers.
Summer Outlook
The rest of the summer could be a scorcher, with the Met Office releasing its three-month outlook, which shows that even hotter weather could be on its way. In its three-month outlook published on June 1, the Met Office said the chance of a hot summer is "higher than normal" and warned of an increased risk of heatwaves and "heat-related impacts."
For June, the forecaster said that the next three months are likely to be twice as hot as the years 1991-2020 used as its reference period. Citing global warming and El Niño, a natural weather phenomenon that can push up temperatures, as the main drivers of the warmer summer weather, the Met Office stated: "An increased chance of hot conditions implies a greater-than-normal chance of heatwaves."
The Met Office's outlook also mentions that there will be higher chances of a wet season but stresses that "near average rainfall remains the most likely outcome."
