The hot summer heralds a blaze of autumn colour
WHEN does summer end? Officially it was last Wednesday if you go by the standard calendar measurement, but meteorologists also like to refer to the astronomical cycle, which depends on the tilt of the Earth on its axis. This year that will give summer an extra lease of life until Sept 22. And this measure appears to have it about right because those warm southerly breezes that have been blowing in benign conditions will continue throughout the coming week.
Today will see the Atlantic low that brought plenty of rain yesterday start to head off into the North Sea. In its wake, a few showers will remain, especially down the east coast. The best of the temperatures will be in the south east with 72F (22C). Further north Glasgow should see 64F (18C).
Moving into the working week, the north-south divide that was a feature for much of August will remain. A low pressure system off to the north-west of the UK will result in breezy, damp conditions in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with 61F (16C) in Stornoway and 66F (19C) in Belfast. But further south, that continental high will continue to feed in warm air, giving 74F (23C) to London and 68F (20C) to Norwich and Cardiff.
An Indian summer? Probably a bit soon for that, since the chilly, misty and even foggy mornings required before the warm sun breaks through are not on the horizon just yet. But good news for autumn from the Forestry Commission. It says that the wet spring, with 30 per cent aboveaverage rainfall in some parts of the country, followed by the hot summer, should combine to turn the leaves into an unusually spectacular display of reds, oranges and golds.