‘Spanish plume’ of hot air to bring Britain’s best spell of summer – just in time for the weekend
Tropical air will sweep in from the Atlantic tomorrow and bring a heat surge to our shores
BRITAIN is back on heatwave alert with thermometers set to rocket to 90F (32C) within the next few days.
Swathes of the country are braced for a repeat of last month’s sizzler which brought the hottest temperatures for a year.
Things will warm up towards the weekend before a sweltering “plume” from Spain brings the peak of the heat on Tuesday.
Thermometers are expected to hit the 32C (90F) mark in the south with the north expected to hit the high 20Cs (81F).
The Met Office is predicting temperatures in the low to mid 20Cs (77F) through this week and into the weekend.
It said tropical air will sweep in from the Atlantic tomorrow (Thursday) before another heat surge arrives from the Continent next week.
Spokesman Grahame Madge said: “A warm front moves into the UK on Thursday bringing tropical maritime air in from the southwest.
“It is a bit cooler on Friday with temperatures of between 23C (73F) and 24C (75F) through he weekend before a plume of warm air arrives from Spain on Tuesday.
“We are expecting temperatures in the low 30Cs until Wednesday, and although it is still early, this is when we expect a thundery breakdown.”
Deputy chief operational meteorologist Laura Paterson added: “An area of low pressure looks likely to drag air up from the south across the UK.
“Temperatures of 30C (86F) to 32C (90F) look more likely than not across some southern parts of the UK on Monday and
Tuesday and there is a chance that even northern parts of the UK could see temperatures into the high 20s Celsius.”
The forecast has triggered warnings to take extra care this weekend with hot weather likely to cause travel disruption.
Roads start to soften at around 27C (81F) leading to cracks and ruts on tar surfaces while the temperature inside stationary cars can hit 60C (140F), according to the AA.
President Edmund King said: “Take care not to accidentally – or deliberately even for a moment - leave people or pets alone in the car this summer, because anything can happen.
RAC traffic watch spokesman Rod Dennis added: “After a cooler spell of weather, drivers are soon going to really start to feel the heat.
“During the last mini heatwave, we saw breakdowns caused by problems with cooling systems jump by nearly a quarter.”
The roasting forecast comes after a topsy-turvy summer which has brought storms, chilly winds and a brief heatwave in July.
Thermometers tipped 33.5C (38.3) at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, last month as much of the country baked in
temperatures in the low 30Cs and high 20Cs.
Experts say with humidity likely to rise to 100 per cent at the start of next week parts of the country could feel close to 35C (95F).
Exacta Weather’s James Madden said: “By this weekend we will start to see temperatures rising significantly for all parts of the country as high pressure becomes dominant across our shores.
“Initially temperatures will rise across the south before spreading across the rest of the country.
“This could bring highs of 30C by Sunday, the early to mid part of next week could bring highs in excess of the 30C-35C mark.
“This could match the July heat surge that brought about the hottest temperatures of the year.”
The forecast has prompted bookies to slash the odds on the next hot spell breaking records for August temperatures.
Ladbrokes is offering 2/1 on 100F, with the hottest August on record now 3/1 from 7/2 and summer 2016 turing out to be the hottest ever at 2/1.
Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: "The sweltering temperatures are on course to smash through the 100F barrier, leaving us with little option but to slash the odds into just 2/1.
“After a miserable start to summer it looks like it's a case of better late than never thanks to August's sizzling heatwave."
Coral is offering 1/4 on temperatures reaching 30C or more this week with the odds on this August being the hottest on record cut from from 5-1 to 2-1.
Spokeswoman Nicola McGeady said: “The heatwave has sparked a big gamble on soaring temperatures and a record breaking month of sunshine.
"The latest gamble has left us in a sweat as it looks like the mercury could indeed hit that 30C mark before the week is out.”