Britain set to sizzle at 77F in May heatwave
BRITAIN is heading for a month- long heatwave, experts said yesterday – with this weekend’s temperatures sizzling as high as 77F ( 25C).
A blast of hot air from Africa will send the mercury rising, leaving the UK hotter than Turkey, Spain and California.
Long- range forecasters say the unusually warm weather could hold out throughout May, raising hopes for a scorching summer ahead.
Yesterday’s high was 66F and today is forecast to be the warmest day of the year so far, hitting 70F.
The Met Office is predicting 77F by Saturday with only the far north likely to miss out on the barbecue scorcher. Forecaster Alex Burkill said: “Thursday is looking like a decent day for most places, generally dry with a good deal of sunshine and highs of 21C.
“Friday will be similar, turning slightly warmer for most of the UK. Temperatures are expected to peak on Saturday.”
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said warm and humid air will lift temperatures and the outlook is long, hot spells punctuated by thundery downpours.
He said: “The warmth is set to continue into next week and beyond to deliver what is likely to be a much warmer than average May this year.” Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Company, said that hot air from Africa is pushing up temperatures.
He said: “However, with low pressure expected just to our west this weekend, we can also expect some thundery downpours, so keep the brolly handy.”
The warm weather has left bookies in a bit of a sweat as punters look to cash in with bets on high temperatures.
Ladbrokes has cut the odds of 77F or above this week from 5- 2 to 7- 4.
Coral trimmed odds on a 86F scorcher this weekend to 2- 1 and halved the odds on 2016 being the hottest year on record to 3- 1 after taking a flurry of bets. Soaking it up... sun lover Sian Griffiths chills out and makes the most of the good weather yesterday as she relaxes in London’s Green Park