Met Office passes verdict on whether UK will get August bank holiday heatwave

14 August 2023, 14:30 | Updated: 15 August 2023, 09:41

The Met Office issued a statement over the upcoming bank holiday weather
The Met Office issued a statement over the upcoming bank holiday weather. Picture: Alamy

By Will Taylor

A Bank Holiday heatwave is "probably unlikely", the Met Office has warned - dashing hopes of a late return to hot weather this summer.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The UK has gone through a period of unsettled weather, as a brief spell of warmer weather saw temperatures rise to 20C on Thursday.

The weekend saw a return to overcast skies and rain and the Met Office issued a yellow rain warning for the north of England and Wales for Monday.

But a high of up to 30C in parts of southern England has been forecast for later in the week.

Now, the weather service has warned Brits not to expect a heatwave in the end of August bank holiday weekend.

Read more: Brits to bask in 30C heat this weekend as African plume hits UK

Read more: Exact date it will hit 32C as Met Office predicts UK will be hotter than LA next week

It is difficult to predict so far ahead but a spokesperson said: "Although temperatures are set to pick up this week, an August Bank Holiday heatwave is looking probably unlikely."

Instead, Brits will need to take advantage of the warmth this week.

Brits are hoping for warm weather to make a comeback
Brits are hoping for warm weather to make a comeback. Picture: Alamy

The rain will soon break, as warm tropical air could make parts of the UK hotter than California at the end of next week with temperatures set to soar past 30C.

High pressure set to build from the middle of the week means south-east England could reach 32C on Friday, according to the Met Office - higher than the 26C predicted for Los Angeles.

Read more: End of summer: Hopes of heatwave dampened as Met Office warns rain and thunderstorms to last into September

"We are looking at the possibility of reaching the low 30s later in the week, most likely on Friday, probably in and around London, running into East Anglia and other parts of the South and East," Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said.

"We've got low pressure dominating at the moment, that will eventually give way to another area of heavy rain and cloud which will move up from the South and West into Monday, which will be a miserable and wet day across England and Wales.

The Met Office believes a bank holiday heatwave is unlikely
The Met Office believes a bank holiday heatwave is unlikely. Picture: Alamy

"Beyond that, there are tentative signs of an improvement, gradually losing that showery signal during Tuesday and Wednesday, and temperatures will start to climb.

"We've got high pressure building from the middle of the week and that will tap into some tropical continental air, which will draw up some very warm, locally hot air that will allow temperatures to climb steadily.

"By the time we get into Friday and maybe into Saturday we stand a chance of breaking into the 30s."

Temperatures may also climb in other parts of the country on Friday, with much of England and Wales to surpass 25C, while Scotland and Northern Ireland could reach the low-to-mid 20s.

Many areas will be dry with sunny spells during the warm period, according to the Met Office, but there may be outbreaks of thundery showers.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Justin Welby has resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury in the wake of abuse scandal

Read in full: Justin Welby's letter resigning as Archbishop of Canterbury

Curtis Green

Father-to-be shot dead after south London party named and pictured for first time as family pay tribute

Nottingham Panthers forward Johnson suffered a fatal neck injury in October 2023

Police issue update on man arrested over manslaughter of ice hockey player Adam Johnson

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns following damming report into Church abuse scandal

The husband of Erin Jayne Plummer has reportedly died in a suspected self-harm incident

Husband of Australian TV star dies suddenly two years after her suicide leaving three kids orphaned

Sue Gray

Sue Gray rejects Keir Starmer's job offer after being removed as chief of staff

Malin Andersson was caught in a horror motorway incident

Love Island star Malin Andersson 'seconds from death' after £100k BMW 'blew up and caught fire'

File photo of congestion on the M5

Teen girl killed in M5 crash fled police car onto motorway before being hit by oncoming traffic

Church abuse victims were treated 'very very badly' Keir Starmer has said, as calls grow for Justin Welby to resign

Starmer says Church abuse scandal victims were 'failed very, very badly' as calls grow for Archbishop to quit

Keir Starmer gives a press conference at Cop29

Starmer unveils new target to slash UK emissions - but insists he 'won't tell Brits how to live their lives'

The collision happened at around 11pm (FILE.)

Girl, 17, dies in horror M5 motorway crash after being detained by police

Police in Zhuhai after the incident

Dozens of people killed and over 40 injured after car ploughs into crowd outside stadium in China

The Queen will return to public duties today after her chest infection

The Queen to return to public duties after chest infection but will miss major film premiere

Nathaniel Dye

Teacher dying of bowel cancer begs MPs to approve assisted dying as proposed law published

Lineker will step down as host of Match of the Day (MOTD) at the end of this season but will present FA Cup coverage in the 2025/26 season and the World Cup in 2026

Gary Lineker breaks silence as it is confirmed he will leave MOTD but will still host FA Cup and World Cup

Snow could batter the UK this month

Exact date 'snow bomb' could batter UK as temperatures set to plummet