A late summer sizzler this weekend
A few days ago I wrote about the extensive heatwave that is expected across much of Europe from this weekend onwards, with temperatures widely expected to reach 30-35C and locally around 40C.
The cause of this heatwave is the jet stream heading northwards over mainland Europe. What this will do is scoop up a huge plume of hot air from northern Africa and transport it across much of the continent.
Whilst this level of heat is not expected across the UK, the periphery of the plume of hot air will give us a glancing blow this weekend, potentially leading to the hottest day of the year so far.
Some of us may be looking forward to the prospect of some warmth and hazy sunshine, but humidity is expected to be quite high, making it feel uncomfortable at times – especially at night.
Another point to highlight is that despite this weekend’s sunshine being hazy, the sun’s rays can still make it through the cloud, giving moderate to high UV levels – worth noting if you’re outdoors for any length of time.
Saturday
Saturday is likely to start on a fairly cloudy note for most of the UK with some locally heavy rain first thing in the morning.
However, through the day, the weather front bringing the rain will weaken and the cloud will thin and break to give spells of hazy sunshine.
Whilst the risk of a few heavy showers remains into the afternoon, most places are likely to stay dry and very warm.
Temperatures for most of the UK will be in the range of 20-26C, but for East Anglia and south east England it will be even hotter with highs of 27-30C.
Sunday
The forecast for Sunday is a little more uncertain and subject to change, but at this stage another hot day is likely across East Anglia and south east England. Temperatures will reach 27-31C, but there is a chance of scattered thunderstorms developing.
For the rest of the UK, Sunday looks cloudier with showers or perhaps a longer spell of rain drifting northwards through the day. Despite any rain though, it’ll still feel pretty warm with temperatures reaching 19-25C.
Next week
As the new week begins, it looks like there’ll be a divide in the weather across the UK. Northern and western areas will be prone to occasional rain with a brisk breeze. Further south and east it’s more likely to stay dry with sunshine and warmth, although not as humid as the weekend.
With some uncertainty in the forecast this weekend, stay up to date on the Channel 4 Weather website. If you manage to take any good weather pictures, please send them to me on Twitter – @liamdutton