Temperatures to reach 26°C over bank holiday weekend

Temperatures across the UK are to rise to 26°C this bank holiday weekend, the Met Office has forecast.

Forecasters say more sunshine, along with winds from continental Europe, will bring a spell of hot weather but not enough to warrant another heatwave.

The Met Office defines a UK heatwave when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold, which varies by county – there have been four heatwaves this summer.

Sunny spells across the south are set to reach 23°C on Saturday, before rising above 24°C on Sunday.

London and the south-east are to experience the hottest temperatures with 26°C forecast in the capital on Monday.

Northern England, the Midlands and large parts of the south-west will have a high of 24°C on Sunday as the UK’s sunny spell comes to an end.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “Temperatures are going to be rising as we go into the bank holiday weekend.

“They’re going to be relatively similar to today on Friday for many of us, perhaps a degree or so higher, but it’s always going to be where you get that sunshine that it’s going to be warmest.

“High pressure is going to be firmly in control so lots of dry weather around. It’s probably going to be a but sunnier than it is today and tomorrow, so with that sunshine it’s going to be feeling warmer as well.”

Mr Burkill added that there will be some showers but it will be a largely fine weekend for most.

High pressure will be the dominant feature, bringing with it a lot of dry weather over the weekend, Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said.

He added: “It will bring a fair bit of clouds across the country on Saturday and in places that cloud may be thick enough for the odd light shower, but the vast majority won’t see those.”

Sunshine will also “make a big difference to the feel of the day” on Sunday, where temperatures will reach the low 20s in many areas, and the mid 20s in the south, Mr Deakin said.

“It is going to get warmer through the weekend, generally getting sunnier as well.

“By the time we get to Monday…I think we’ll see more blue skies generally.”

Hurricane Erin could bring wet weather to the UK next week

Wet and windy weather could sweep across the UK if the remnants of Hurricane Erin put an end to the UK’s dry spell next week.

Forecasters are tracking the potential impact of the category two storm, which is moving eastwards across the North Atlantic, but say any effect on the UK would not happen until at least the middle of next week.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “It is too early for specific details about which parts of the country will see the windiest and wettest weather.

“What we can say is that it will gradually turn less hot and be more generally changeable.”

It is possible there could be thundery showers from Wednesday and “more especially” on Thursday and Friday next week at which point the weather system will officially be an ex-hurricane.

Mr Morgan added: “We are also likely to see some very large waves.

“Ex-hurricane Erin will bring quite a large swell in the sea so we could potentially see waves of four to five metres in height for the western isles of Scotland and Ireland and so for holidaymakers going to the coast, that could prove quite a hazard.”

He said this potentially unsettled weather is still “a long way in the future” and should not cause any disruption to festivals and other outdoor events.