August heatwave: Will UK temperatures soar again next month?

Warm and dry conditions set to return, says Met Office

The UK has baked in potentially record-breaking warm weather this week, which triggered an amber warning for extreme heat.

The heatwave is expected to end this weekend with thunderstorms across much of England and Wales, the Met Office warned.

But forecasters have said warmer and drier conditions are likely to return by the middle of next month.

Predictions of another heatwave would be unwise since long-range forecasts don’t offer any certainty when it comes to precise temperatures, the agency said.

“Early next week it is looking like there will be some unsettled weather across large parts of the UK, particularly in eastern areas,” Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesperson, told The Independent.

“Looking further ahead, from 5 August onwards, mixed conditions are looking most likely with no particular dominant weather type.

“It is likely that from that date, there will be some drier spells, and some showers and periods of rain.

“But as we head more towards the middle of August, it is looking likely that more settled and dry conditions will develop.”

Mr Dixon cautioned that the accuracy of forecasts so far in the future was not guaranteed, but said it looked likely that warmer and drier conditions will develop for much of the UK.

“That doesn’t translate into a specific prediction of another heatwave, but it is possible warmer conditions will develop,” he said. “It is looking like it will be warmer than the average for the month.

“The average for the whole of the UK is 19C, so warmer than average could mean low 20s. It is looking like above average for mid-August in terms of temperatures, but obviously the forecast at that long range is more uncertain.”

On Tuesday, England reached its hottest temperature of the year – 32.2C recorded at Heathrow Airport in west London.

The mercury rose to 31.1C in North Wyke, Devon, on Wednesday, while a provisional all-time record for Northern Ireland was set when 31.3C was logged at Castlederg, Co Tyrone, the Met Office said.

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It comes only a few days after the previous record of 31.2C was set at Ballywatticock, Co Down, on Saturday.

Scotland saw a top temperature of 28C in Eskdalemuir on Wednesday while 30.8C was recorded in Usk in Wales.