SEPTEMBER’S A SCORCHER

30C finish to super summer

BRITS will enjoy a scorching September after a washout Bank Holiday weekend.

Temperatures are set to hit 30C next month as the El Nino weather phenomenon brings the UK a sizzling autumn.

And the Met Office forecast said the heat could even last until November following a summer on track to be the hottest since records began 108 years ago.

El Nino – the warming of eastern Pacific sea-surface temperatures – is likely to be confirmed in weeks, US Government forecasters said.

The Met Office said: “Heat released by El Nino events typically drives a short-lived spike in global temperatures.

“A region marked ‘warmer likely’ in El Nino conditions means a greater than 50% chance that the temperature will be in the top third of temperatures observed in the season.”

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: “Largely fine weather is expected from Thursday. In the period to September 22, it is most likely much of the UK will see a good deal of dry, warm and settled weather.

“Daytime temperatures are expected to be above average overall, especially in the south and east where it may become very warm, and with the warmer conditions perhaps spreading further north and west at times.”

The Met Office long-range forecast to the end of October said: “The likelihood of above-average temperatures is greater than normal.” Forecaster Brian Gaze of The Weather Outlook said: “September looks like being a continuation of summer.”

The news comes as Britain was hit by downpours, gusty winds and hail, with many parts of the country told to expect six hours of continuous rainfall. Travel chaos has also plagued Brits, with many train services cancelled. Drivers were advised to add an hour to journey times with more than 14million taking to the roads, as seen, left, on the M3 yesterday.

The weather is expected to improve by tomorrow with a bright and breezy outlook, as well as a few scattered showers.