A heatwave is expected to hit the UK this week, with temperatures forecasted to exceed 30°C, according to the Met Office. The heat is likely to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, with parts of the southeast potentially reaching temperatures of 32°C. This comes after a damp and cold August that left many people feeling miserable.
This week’s heat is attributed to a shift in the jet stream, which has brought unsettled weather conditions to the UK. As high pressure builds across the country, temperatures are rising. On Monday, after a misty morning, low cloud and fog will dissipate, giving way to warm and sunny weather. The highest temperatures will be recorded in the south, including London, where temperatures could reach 28°C.
Tuesday morning will also see plenty of sunshine across most of the country, although some parts of northern England may experience showers. The Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mark Sidaway, stated that while the south will experience the highest temperatures, most of England and Wales, as well as parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, are likely to see unseasonably high temperatures due to the heatwave.
Sidaway explained that the North Atlantic’s active tropical cyclone season has shifted the jet stream northwards, allowing warm air to be drawn north, resulting in the current weather pattern. This is in contrast to the cooler and unsettled weather experienced during most of the summer, when the UK was on the northern side of the jet stream.
The outlook for the next few days is mostly dry, with very warm to hot sunshine. However, there may be patches of low cloud and fog overnight, and some drizzle in the far north, with showers possible later, mainly in the west.