Met Office issues Hurricane Erin update as major storm heads for UK
Violent winds and heavy rain look likely to replace hot temperatures as the Met Office warns Hurricane Erin is on its way to Britain.
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The UK has enjoyed four heatwaves this summer, but the sweltering weather they have brought could be about to change.
Erin was strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane as it threatens to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to the eastern coast of the United States.
The storm has already been making its presence known in the Atlantic Ocean, with the Cape Verde islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão declaring a state of emergency after intense winds and torrents of rain battered communities.
Around 1,500 people have reportedly been forced to flee their homes and nine people were killed - and now Britain is bracing itself for turbulent conditions.
Meanwhile, the effects of Hurricane Erin are not due to be felt in the UK until next week.
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Analysing the long-range forecast between Tuesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 28, a Met Office spokesperson said: "The details during this period carry low confidence. High pressure will probably be increasingly displaced to the north through the first part of this period, allowing areas of low pressure to potentially make inroads from the Atlantic.
"This brings an increasing possibility of stronger winds and rain, some of which could be heavy and thundery, especially for southern and western areas, but this perhaps becoming more widespread with time.
"Overall, temperatures look to remain above average, with the potential for some further hot spells, especially in the south. One of the determining factors of the forecast through this period will be the behaviour of what is currently Tropical Storm Erin as it progresses into the North Atlantic; this being a quite typical source of uncertainty in late summer."
The forecaster added conditions will be more uncertain beyond Monday, mainly because of developments in the Atlantic.
"Tropical storm Erin is currently moving towards the United States, and its eventual path could influence UK weather," it said.
"It's not uncommon for tropical systems at this time of year to be picked up by the jet stream. Recent examples include Storm Floris and ex-tropical storm Dexter. The impact on the UK depends on where these systems sit relative to the jet stream, on the cooler, low-pressure side.
"They can bring wet and windy weather; on the warmer, high-pressure side, they may remain offshore and contribute to warmer conditions. Sometimes the jet stream flows in a relatively straight path, much like a fast-moving river.
"At other times, it meanders and loops, slowing down the movement of weather systems and making their paths less predictable.
"These meanders can lead to prolonged periods of wet or dry weather, depending on where the jet stream is positioned."
