Get the barbie back out, heatwave ‘is on the way’

a TaSTE of summer is on the way thanks to a blast of warm air arriving from africa.

Temperatures are expected to start rising from Saturday before topping 20C (68F) next week.

There could be even better to come later in the month, with forecasters holding out the hope of heatwave conditions.

Meteogroup forecaster Donal Considine said the ‘surge of warm air’ would be drawn up from the south as high pressure hovers over central Europe.

He added: ‘We’ll get a day-on-day increase in temperatures as warm air is pulled up from North africa and Spain because of the direction of the winds.

‘So next week there is the potential for maximum temperatures 4-5C above average.’

However, while England and Wales will enjoy dry conditions today, in contrast the West and North of Scotland are set for rain, while the South of the country will have the best conditions. Rain will become more persistent tomorrow morning before clearing for most places by the afternoon.

Temperatures will then start to climb as high pressure moves in.

Met Office forecaster annie Shuttleworth said: ‘On Saturday and Sunday there will be a good deal of dry and bright weather.

‘That continues into next week, although there is still the potential for some rain.

‘Temperatures are expected to increase across Scotland and are likely to be in the low 20s from the middle part of next week.’

Tantalisingly, the Met Office’s threemonth summer outlook predicts an ‘increase in the likelihood of warmer-thanaverage conditions in the month ahead’.

It adds: ‘Predictions are consistent in suggesting an increase in the likelihood of temperatures being above average overall.

‘While this doesn’t necessarily mean heatwaves will occur, it does increase the likelihood of heatwaves compared to normal.’

Exacta Weather’s James Madden said: ‘There is now the potential for a major spell of warm weather to develop during the latter part of May or early June.’

The Met Office defines a heatwave as ‘an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year’.

The temperature required for a heatwave therefore changes depending on the location but it must have at least three consecutive days exceeding normal conditions.