The UK has been hit by a spate of less-than summery weather this month, with torrential rain, intense thunderstorms and strong winds battering the country. With Met Office warnings in place across today and the weekend, many may have lost hope that summer weather could return – but August may have some surprises in store.
Met Office warnings for rain and thunderstorms are in place across the UK today, with slow-moving storms forecast to bring disruption into the weekend.
Lightning, downpours and fierce winds are forecast to hit Scotland, West Midlands, North of England, Wales and Northern Ireland today.
Elsewhere grey skies, gusty winds and showers are likely, with temperatures in the high teens and low 20sC at best.
However looking at the latest weather maps and long-range forecasts, above-average temperatures look to return later this month.
Read More: UK hot weather map: 25C summer scorcher to return this month
The Netweather forecast from August 23 to August 31 reads: “This period will probably begin unsettled but with a growing tendency for high pressure to take over towards the end of August.
“Temperatures are generally expected to be closer to normal, but possibly turning warm/hot again late in the period.”
And the Met Office backed this up, saying: “Above average temperatures continue to be indicated through the remainder of August, with possibly even very warm conditions at times in southern areas.”
The BBC’s long-range weather forecast also suggests highs are on the way in the second half of the month.
The forecast reads: “As high pressure slowly pushes northward from the Mediterranean Sea, low-pressure systems caught in the storm track and driven by the jet stream will be deflected northward too.
“Drier weather should spread in from the south, and this will also bring in a warmer, more tropical air mass to the UK.
“Temperatures should trend warmer than normal into late August, with some very warm or hot days possible if high pressure moves overhead for too long.
“If the high does linger overhead, a heatwave may develop as well, but confidence is low on this.
Weather maps show conditions heating up next week, with Netweather charts showing highs of 25C on Thursday, August 12.
WXCharts, which gets its data from Met Desk, also shows red hot highs on Thursday.
Elsewhere across Europe, the southern countries are facing intense heat, with maps turning dark red with the sweltering heat.
Jan Schenk, head of The Weather Channel, Germany, said: “A catastrophic heatwave is heading for southern Europe and, brace yourselves, up to 50C is possible next week, the temperature record of all of Europe could be broken. It is currently at 48C.
“What will happen? The sirocco wind will blow incredibly strong from North Africa to Italy and all the way to Romania and will push this Sahara air to the southeast of Europe.
“And at some point, it will be impossible to distinguish between the different air masses and then it will be as hot in Greece as it is in the Sahara and then we will experience big heat and will see temperatures rise to 43C to 45C and in some areas 50C are possible.”
