30C summer heat possible next week

With one month of summer almost behind us, you can’t have failed to notice that this June has been a bit of a let-down in the temperature stakes.

According to the Met Office, the first half of June has seen UK mean temperatures (a combination of day and night temperatures) 1.8C below normal.

Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland have been even cooler, with mean temperatures around 3C below normal.

Despite it being cool, it has also been drier than normal, leading to greater amounts of sunshine than we’d see in a typical June.

However, the lack of warmth so far this summer may be compensated by a sizzling start to July, with hints from weather computer models that temperatures will soar for a time next week.

Hot air from Spain

During most of June, the wind has been coming from the west, blowing off an Atlantic Ocean where sea temperatures are below average at the moment – slightly cooling the air that travels over it.

However, next week, it looks like the wind will start to come from the south or south east, bringing a plume of hot air towards us from Spain.

Now, as always, there is still some uncertainty as to exactly how hot it will get and how far north the hot air will travel, but the trend is clear.

How hot will it get?

Given that the hot air is coming from Spain, it is southern and eastern parts of the UK that are most likely to see the highest temperatures.

England and Wales could see highs of 22-28C on Tuesday, rising to 23-30C by Wednesday – possibly lasting until Friday. Scotland and Northern Ireland is unlikely to be quite as hot, with 20-25C probable.

Whilst there will obviously be some sunshine to get these kinds of temperatures, weather fronts close to the west of the UK will occasionally threaten a little rain.

Also, as the heat and humidity builds in the hottest areas, there will be the risk of some thunderstorms breaking out.

I have no doubt that the classically British excitable talk of barbeques, flip flops and ice creams will quickly be replaced on the second day of the heat with moans of: “Oh my goodness, it’s too hot!”

Don’t forget, you can get the latest forecast on the Channel 4 Weather website. I’ll also be posting regular updates on Twitter – @liamdutton

GIF images: Wetterzentrale