Met Office verdict if UK will have a heatwave over August Bank Holiday weekend

13 August 2023 , 19:40

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Met Office verdict if UK will have a heatwave over August Bank Holiday weekend

The Met Office has given its verdict on whether or not Brits are in for a baking hot Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August.

The country has experienced a particularly disappointing summer this year, with plenty rain and cool temperatures throughout July and August. While in contrast, parts of Europe have suffered from extreme temperatures recently that have caused devastating wildfires in countries such as Greece and Portugal.

Last Thursday, however, conditions here reached a balmy 20C or more in some parts. But the weekend saw conditions deteriorate and the rain return.

The country has experienced a particularly disappointing summer this year (Geoffrey Swaine/REX/Shutterstock)

The unsettled weather is set to continue this week with a yellow rain warning in place from the Met Office for northern England and Wales on Monday until 9pm that night. Yet despite the wet weather, temperatures should remain between 18C and 23.

While later on in the week, the temperature is set to reach a high of up to 30C in parts of southern England. But ahead of tomorrow’s yellow warnings, the Met Office warned that there is a "small chance homes and businesses could be flooded" amid the downpours and some communities will be temporarily cut off by flooded roads.

Gales, snow and rain to batter country today with 80mph wind gusts

With less than two weeks to go until the August Bank Holiday, though, should Brits be packing their sun cream and heading to the beach to enjoy buckets of glorious sunshine? A Met Office spokesperson told the Mirror: "Although temperatures are set to pick up this week, an August Bank Holiday heatwave is looking probably unlikely"

However, the weather forecaster noted that currently it is "extremely difficult" to predict how the last weekend in August will actually fare but at the moment there is a low probability of settled and hot conditions towards the end of the month.

The verdict comes as a mini heatwave will hit parts of the UK with the South East predicted to be hotter than California if mercury tops 32C in the next few days.

Steven White