The long-range forecast predicts when it could become hot again
The UK has seen record-smashing weather with the warmest spring since 1884 and hottest May day on record during last week’s heatwave. But the Met Office has forecast more heat later this month as we head into summer.
An early and record-breaking heatwave at the end of May meant that this year the UK experienced the warmest spring. Some areas saw six consecutive days above 30°C. The UK basked in soaring temperatures, with 35.1C measured in Kew Gardens, west London, and 32.9C recorded at Cardiff’s Bute Park, on Tuesday last week.
Each month of spring were some of the warmest on record, beginning with a joint tenth warmest March, followed by the seventh warmest April and then a May that finished up as the joint third warmest.
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Met Office scientists have said the records being broken show ‘the longer-term warming’ of the world with more ‘extreme conditions’ happening more often, WalesOnline reports.
Met Office scientist Dr Emily Carlisle said: “This spring highlights both the natural variability of the UK’s weather and the longer-term warming we are observing. While conditions varied through the season, all three months of meteorological spring recorded mean temperatures within the UK’s top ten warmest on record.
“While we expect fluctuations from year to year, this spring shows some of the changes we’re seeing in our weather patterns, with more extreme conditions becoming more frequent.”
As well as high temperatures, rainfall patterns have also seen a change with spring rainfall decreasing by 14 per cent from the long-term meteorological average for the UK.
Met Office scientists also found that breaking the 32.8°C May record is around three times more likely now in our current climate than it would have been in a natural climate not impacted by greenhouse gas emissions.
This week, the weather has taken a turn with rain returning for many across the UK with thunderstorms also likely. Showers and longer spells of rain are expected to continue throughout the first two weeks of June and temperatures are ‘likely to be near normal overall’ claims the Met Office.
However, the long term forecast from Tuesday, June 16, until Tuesday, June 30, states that whilst “heavy showers and thunderstorms become more probable”, higher temperatures and hotter weather may return.
The forecast states: “The start of the period is likely to be relatively settled, with high pressure in the vicinity of the UK bringing drier conditions to most parts of the UK.
“However some showers or spells of rain are still possible. Winds will mostly be light with temperatures probably above normal. Towards the end of June, low pressure may begin to have more of an influence, especially across the south where heavy showers and thunderstorms become more probable. It may also become hot in parts of the south.”
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