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The UK is set to be hotter than the Sahara Desert this weekend as temperatures are expected to reach 33C in parts of the country.
Temperatures in England and Wales are set to soar in the coming days, with the mercury expected to hit the high 20s and low 30s during an intense spell of hot weather.
Sunday and Monday are expected to be the warmest days, with highs due to reach 33C in London, 26C in Manchester, 22C in Glasgow and 21C in Belfast.
But forecasters have warned the hot weather might not last as severe thunderstorms and periods of heavy rainfall are also possible in parts of the UK over the weekend.
Strong winds could also wreck havoc across the country following interference from Storm Debby, which battered parts of the southern US earlier this week.
A beautiful start to the day at Dunsden in Oxfordshire on Thursday
Early morning rowers travel along the River Thames towards Maidenhead bridge on Thursday
Friday will get off to a wet and cloudy start across the south and east of England before drier weather brings sunny spells across much of the country as the day progresses and temperatures warm up.
This morning, a mass of cloud and outbreaks of rain will continue travelling eastwards and northwards.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicky Maxey said: ‘The hot spell is short-lived but quite intense.’
She added: ‘Temperatures are due to peak on Monday and rapidly return to average on Tuesday and Wednesday.’
The Met Office said an ‘increasingly hot and humid air mass’ will then push across the UK’s southern half this weekend.
Much of the country will be cloudy and humid on Saturday morning with the north seeing brighter spells and light showers.
Tropical Storm Debby, which is currently hitting eastern states of the US, is helping to strengthen the jet stream and make it ‘meander’ over the Atlantic which will allow hot air to move into the UK from Sunday.
Temperatures are expected to get to at least 30C (86F) in the South and South East of England and there is even a 30 per cent chance of the mid-30Cs (mid-90Fs).
This would bring the hottest day of 2024 so far, which is currently July 30 when 32.0C (89.6F) was recorded at both Kew Gardens and Heathrow Airport in London.
Monday is expected to bring even warmer weather, with London forecast to be hotter than the Sahara Desert at around 4pm as temperatures in the capital reach 33C compared to 29C in Dakhla.
The high temperatures will see a rise in pollen count throughout the country, along with high UV levels.
The Met Office recommends covering up during midday hours and wearing sunscreen.
According to Ms Maxey, it is not unusual to see short spells of warm weather and this is not considered a heatwave as temperatures need to exceed a specific threshold over three consecutive days in order to meet the criteria.
Outbreaks of heavy rain and thunderstorms may accompany this hotter weather in central and northern parts of the country.
Forecasters warned of thunderstorms or heavy showers falling further north and west within the warm air mass, and in eastern areas on Monday.
Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Suri said: ‘Tropical Storm Debby in North America is helping to strengthen the jet stream, and is causing it to meander over the Atlantic.
‘This will allow hot air to move into the UK later this weekend, and early next week. Temperatures are likely to reach the low 30Cs in places, notably in the South and South East.
‘Further north and west within this warm air, outbreaks of heavy showers or thunderstorms are possible. As well as the hot daytime temperatures, a very warm night is also expected on Sunday night into Monday.’
Debby made landfall along the Gulf Coast of Florida on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane and has already dropped up to 400mm (15in) of rain over parts of the state.
At least six people have died due to the storm , five of them in traffic accidents or from fallen trees.
An ‘increasingly hot and humid air mass’ will push across the UK’s southern half this weekend
The mercury expected to hit the high 20s and low 30s on Monday during an intense spell of hot weather
Debby will continue to impact eastern and southeastern parts of the US over the coming days, with areas of Georgia and North and South Carolina set to bear the brunt.
Debby is likely to weaken and gradually break up over the weekend and into the start of next week, but its influence will play a part in the UK’s conditions.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Nick Silkstone said: ‘While Debby itself won’t reach the UK, the system and its remnants does play a role in the UK forecast next week, but chiefly as background influence on the shape and strength of the jet stream, which often plays a significant role in the weather we experience in the UK.
‘Debby in North America will help to strengthen and veer the direction of the jet stream and this means this ribbon of air is likely to shift further to the south.’
‘This southwards dip in the jet stream will likely be located across the mid-Atlantic this weekend and early next week, allowing south-westerly flow across the UK.
‘During this time a hot and perhaps very hot airmass could develop and be advected into the South East of the UK.
‘On balance it now looks likely that temperatures will reach 30C, with around a 30 per cent chance that temperatures could reach the mid-30Cs early next week. Debby plays a role in developing this forecast hot spell.’
Bookmaker William Hill is offering odds of 9/4 for the UK to record its hottest day of the year so far this month.
Its spokesman Lee Phelps said: ‘It looks like we’re set for another fiercely hot weekend in the United Kingdom and the odds suggest the current temperature record for 2024 could be broken.’
And rival bookmaker Labrokes is offering 10/11 that this month will be Britain’s hottest August on record.
