Too soon to tell if heat records may tumble again

AUGUST is set to start with a warm and humid air mass over the south of Wales and England, with highs of 28°C but also some rain.

The Met Office says that into the second half of the week a change in wind direction will bring cooler and fresher air across the UK from the north.

So a second heatwave is not on the cards for this week, but bookies are predicting temperatures will heat back up again and the long range forecast for the UK from the forecasting agency shows the potential for “a very warm spell in the south” during the middle of August.

It is still too early to tell if there will be the highs seen in July, when Wales recorded its hottest day on record with 37.1°C in Hawarden in Flintshire on July 18.

A so-called “heat dome” remains in place above European countries like Spain, France and Portugal where there is slowmoving area of high pressure, which originated in North Africa.

It means that another plume of heat could arrive in the UK, with bookmakers William Hill making August 5/2 to produce the UK’s hottest day of the year in 2022, while it’s 11/4 for the mercury to reach 40°C. They are also offering even-money on the temperature peaking between 35-39.9°C next month as the heat continues to linger in the British air.

William Hill spokesman, Tony Kenny, said: “July produced the hottest temperatures we’ve ever seen in the UK, and it seems that there are more sweltering temperatures on the horizon.”

While it is still too early to tell, the Met Office long range UK forecast for Sunday, August 14, to Sunday, August 28, says: “Dry weather likely to continue in this period for many, but still a chance of some periods of organised rain in the north which may make incursions further south at times, especially towards the end of the month.

“For the south and southeast any precipitation is most likely in the form of showers and thunderstorms, although most areas are likely to be drier than average. Temperatures likely continuing to be widely above normal, with the potential for a very warm spell in the south.”

The BBC Weather forecast for the same period says: “Temperatures will be slightly above average in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Rainfall will be below seasonal average for England and Wales, especially in south-east England.”

Their forecast also looks at mid-August onwards, saying that high pressure is expected to remain present over northern Europe, meaning temperatures should be “slightly above average” for much of the UK with England and Wales remaining on the dry side.