Wales is set to bask in glorious temperatures during the bank holiday weekend
The threshold needed to officially declare a heatwave could be met with one part of Wales forecast to see highs of 30C over the bank holiday weekend. It could result in some of the highest temperatures recorded in the UK in May in over a decade.
A heatwave is officially defined as three consecutive days at or above a set temperature. The deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, Greg Wolverson, said it’s likely this will be reached in parts of the UK from Sunday.
The Met Office forecasts “an exceptional spell of warmth for May”, and has said the heatwave criteria could be met for some. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.
It says that despite a colder few weeks, this week will get progressively hotter as it goes on, with a warmer Thursday and Friday before a scorching weekend. Saturday is forecast to see highs of 23C in Cardiff, rising to 26C and 27C on Sunday and Monday.
It looks set to remain just as hot into the start of next week with Tuesday and Wednesday remaining above 25C.
The warmer weather will be a relief to many with May having proved to be cooler than normal so far. According to the Met Office, any temperature above 29.4C will be the highest May temperature recorded in the UK since 2012. The all-time May record currently stands at 32.8C.
In Wales, the record for May is 30.6C which was recorded in 1944 but according to the latest forecast Monmouth could come very close to that on Monday.
BBC weatherman Derek Brockway wrote on X: “The definition of a heatwave is based on a threshold which varies across the UK. In Wales, the threshold is at least 3 days in a row with maximum temperatures reaching 25C or more. 26C in SE Wales.
“The heatwave threshold may be met in places next week! 30C possible in Monmouth!”
The Met Office outlook for Wales for Thursday to Saturday states it will be “very warm with sunny periods” but warns there could be some thundery showers at times.
Although Saturday and Sunday will be hot, Monday looks set to be the warmest day of the weekend with highs of 27C forecast in Cardiff and 30C expected in Monmouth.
Newtown, Wrexham, and Swansea are also set to see temperatures above 25C before it cools slightly at the end of next week.
Greg Wolverson added: “A very warm period of weather will develop through the weekend and into next week for much of the UK.
“High pressure will be in charge of the UK’s weather over the bank holiday weekend and this should bring fine and settled conditions to most areas. The exception will be parts of northwestern Scotland where it will be cooler and cloudier with some rain at times. There is also a small risk of some thunder in the south late on Friday into Saturday.”
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