The Met Office has announced that temperatures are set to increase this weekend and could reach the 30C mark once more. The UK has been experiencing unsettled weather with rain and showers expected to continue across most of the country through Friday.
Weekend Weather Shift
Weather conditions are predicted to change sharply at the weekend, with temperatures likely to rise above the seasonal average of around 21C for southern England. Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, stated: "We are looking at temperatures climbing into the weekend, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, so feeling much warmer than recent days, with temperatures quite widely above average, especially across the south come Saturday, and even more so on Sunday."
Current indicators suggest that temperatures might hit the 30C barrier and possibly break it. Mr Stroud added: "How high the temperatures get is still open to a fair amount of debate. There is a growing signal that temperatures will be heading comfortably into the high 20s, perhaps breaking 30 degrees again. There is definitely a chance of temperatures scraping into above 30 degrees on Sunday, and then more so on Monday. We keep close tabs on it because there is always the potential for hitting heatwave criteria again."
Detailed Forecast: Tuesday 9 June to Saturday 13 June
Headline: Sunny spells and showers, feeling cool.
Today: A day of sunshine and blustery showers, with showers possibly turning heavy in places. An isolated chance of thunder in the north of the region. Temperatures a little below average. Maximum temperature 17 °C.
Tonight: Showers becoming less frequent into the evening, before skies cloud over from the west later in the night, with showery outbreaks of rain reaching the region towards dawn. Minimum temperature 7 °C.
Wednesday: Cloudy with showery outbreaks of rain during the morning, some sunny or bright spells developing, however a continued risk of showers with hail and thunder, before these fade towards evening. Maximum temperature 16 °C.
Outlook for Thursday to Saturday: A spell of wet and windy weather moves in for Thursday. Largely cloudy on Friday with patchy rain. High pressure developing from Saturday bringing sunny spells and rising temperatures.
Extended Outlook: Saturday 13 June to Monday 22 June
The start of this period will see a transition to a generally more settled weather pattern for much of the UK, as high pressure exerts more influence. This will be most noticeable across southern and eastern parts, whereas areas further northwest could often be cloudier with some rain at times. With the build of pressure will come an increase in temperatures, with the potential for very warm or hot conditions to become established by mid-month, especially across parts of England and Wales. High pressure is favoured to remain close by to the UK towards the end of this period, bringing widely settled conditions and often above average temperatures.
Why Is the Weather Unsettled?
The coming shift in weather conditions is due to a change in the jet stream, which is currently running across the UK and driving unsettled Atlantic weather fronts across the country. Mr Stroud explained: "End of this week, high pressure starts to build from the south, with clearing skies and rising temperatures over the continent. It is just a perfect recipe for temperatures to actually start climbing."
The south and South East of England are likely to experience the highest temperatures over the coming weekend, according to the Met Office. However, more unsettled weather is expected in the meantime, with Tuesday set to be a day of sunny spells and showers for most. Heavy and thundery summer showers can also be expected across the north of the country. Thursday will likely be wet and windy for many, before the weather turns drier and increasingly settled from the south on Friday. Mr Stroud noted: "Thursday is likely the wettest day of the week, with an organised band of rain moving across us. But there is light at the end of the tunnel."
This forecast follows a record-breaking heatwave which saw May 26 become the hottest day in May on record for both England and Wales, with 35.1°C measured at Kew Gardens and 32.9°C at Cardiff Bute Park.
