Unsettled conditions across the UK at the start of next week could be followed by temperatures of more than 30°C over the bank holiday weekend, the Met Office has predicted.
The forecaster said the “general trend” according to its models is that a wet period beginning Wednesday will be replaced by more settled conditions from Friday due to a high-pressure weather system sweeping across the nation.
It said temperatures will rise into the mid to high 20s across many parts of the UK and 30°C or more can’t be entirely ruled out in some areas for the first time this year.
But it believes that it is far from certain that temperatures will reach that of last weekend, when 25.9°C was recorded in Herstmonceux, East Sussex – the highest in 2024.
A spokesperson for the forecaster said: “Both rainfall and temperatures are likely to be a little bit above average, but with some large spatial differences.
“We could have fairly warm conditions probably down towards southwest, whereas it may well be a little bit cooler up towards the northeast.
“For the bank holiday, it looks like higher pressure will be a little bit more dominant over the UK.”
This weekend will have a “murky” start, with some rain in the south on Saturday – but warm conditions on the whole.
Sunday is expected to be drier and the mercury could rise to above 20°C on Monday.
The forecaster believes by the middle of next week there will be wind and rain, particularly for the eastern parts of UK, with potentially heavy downpours amid quite muggy air.
The spokesperson added: “Overall, it looks to be remaining fairly unsettled across much of the UK as we go through that period with further rain or showers or possibly some thunderstorms in places.
“There will also be some sunny spells most likely towards the south and the south west.”
James Madden, a forecaster at Exacta Weather, said a high-pressure system is “likely to bring at least another several days or warm to hot conditions” over the bank holiday weekend.
“Both rainfall amounts and temperatures are likely to be a little above average, but some large spatial differences are likely,” he said. “Some of the main third-party computer models are now becoming more popular in recognition of the high pressure that rises across our shores throughout next week.”
