'Hotter than the Sahara': Britain set to scorch in 33 degree heatwave

9 August 2024, 11:39

Brits are set to bask in scorching sunshine this weekend as temperatures surpass that of the Sahara desert.

An intense wave of warm weather is forecast to arrive on British shores this weekend, with temperatures as high as 33C expected.

The mercury is expected to rise throughout Saturday before peaking on Sunday and Monday.

London is forecast to scorch in 33C heat, while Manchester will experience 26C temperatures.

These high temperatures are partly due to tropical Storm Debby, which has battered the US this week with fatal winds and rain.

Its system and remnants could act as a background influence, impacting the strength and shape of the jet stream and in turn our weather forecasts.

Dan Suri, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "Tropical storm Debby 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 30s in places, notably in the south and southeast. 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."

This “intense” spell of warm weather is not expected to become a heatwave, the Met Office has said.

With temperatures returning to average on Tuesday, the hot weather will not surpass the threshold of three days needed for a heatwave to be declared.

This comes as the latest forecasts from WXCharts indicate a temperature surge around mid-August, starting this coming weekend.

The Met Office's long-range forecast for August 10 to 19 indicates that the UK's weather will remain unpredictable.

The prediction highlights that Atlantic weather patterns could lead to varied conditions, with the following overview: "The weather across the UK is expected to stay variable.

“Complex Atlantic developments introduce more uncertainty into the forecast, but overall, unsettled weather is anticipated.

“Low-pressure systems are likely to bring showers or longer periods of rain, particularly heavy in western hills. Breezy or strong winds may also occur, especially along the coast."