Farewell summer, it was nice seeing you: heatwave will last a day before downpours
BRITAIN’S brief heatwave will bring the hottest August day for three years, but that could mark the end of summer as the weather will then turn unsettled and cold.
Swathes of England and Wales are forecast to experience temperatures of up to 31C (87.8F) on Tuesday.
Scotland, which last week saw frost and sub-zero temperatures, could reach the high twenties (82F-84F), the Met Office said.
So far this month, the hottest day saw temperatures of 27.9C (82.2F) a week ago, in Cavendish, Suffolk, but Tuesday seems likely to beat that number and become the warmest day in August for three years.
The last time Britain exceeded 31C in August was in 2013, when the temperature hit 34.1C (93.4F) on Aug 1. The hottest day on record is 38.5C (101.3F) in Faversham, Kent, on Aug 10 2003.
The forecast comes as research by the Teenage Cancer Trust found that young people are careless when applying sunscreen and regularly burn in the sun.
The charity found 16 per cent of young people have been burnt more than 10 times in their life, putting them at a high risk of skin cancer.
“We want young people to really think about those bits they normally miss when putting on their sunscreen this summer,” said Susie Rice of the charity.
Tuesday’s short-lived heatwave, however, will be followed by a “breakdown” in the weather from Wednesday, where “we will no longer feel those hot temperatures”, the Met Office said.
The weather will then transform to “a more unsettled regime” towards the end of the week, with thundery downpours in southern and eastern parts of the UK while, in the North and West, showers are expected.
Nicola Maxey, a Met Office spokesman, said the weather will become unstable as autumn approaches.
She added: “It will still feel warm but we are just not going to feel those hot temperatures.”
This could mark the end of this year’s summer sun.
“You are entering the autumn period so temperatures will start to cool slightly,” Ms Maxey added.
This month has been hotter than the UK average so far, and last month included the hottest day of the year, with a temperature of 33.5C (92.3F) in Oxfordshire on July 19.
Experts have previously warned motorists to take extra care as road surfaces begin to soften when temperatures exceed 27C (80.6F). Network Rail has warned that train lines can buckle in extreme heat, which could cause track closures and passenger delays, on top of existing rail troubles.