UK weather: Met Office predicts mid-august heatwave as 'African plume' heads to Britain

27 July 2021, 14:29 | Updated: 27 July 2021, 14:35

The Met Office has predicted another heatwave could be on the way next month...

There have been torrential rain and thunderstorms across the UK this week, with much of the South East hit by flooding.

But now it looks like things could be about to heat up again, with the Met Office predicting another heatwave for next month.

While the first half of August is set to be unsettled with sun and some showers, high pressure could hit later in the month.

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Forecasters at the Met Office say: "Although confidence in the detail is low, there are tentative signals suggesting that high pressure may become more dominant during the middle of August, bringing more settled, drier and warmer conditions for many.

"There would still be a risk of showers or thunderstorms at times. Temperatures are most likely to be above average."

Meteorologist Stephen Dixon added to The Mirror: "It's too early to say if we will have another heatwave in August, but by mid-August there are signals of high pressure bringing drier and warmer air.

"Temperatures will be above average, but the average temperatures for England in August is 21C so still too early to know if it will become a heatwave."

AccuWeather forecaster Alyssa Smithmyer has also said hot air from Africa could increase the mercury.

"As we move forward through the remainder of July, temperatures are anticipated to shift closer to normal for this time of the year,” she told the Express.

"During the first week of August, temperatures are expected to likely do the same and return to near normal, with a few slightly warmer days possible later in the week as the jet stream influence transports some warmer air from Africa."

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As for this weekend, things are set to stay unsettled with patchy rain and thunderstorms across the south, while the north should stay fine.

Next week, temperatures will remain in the late teens and low 20s with showers developing by Tuesday.

The forecast states: “There is also a risk of more persistent and heavy rain affecting northern Scotland.

“Conditions remain changeable mid-week with outbreaks of rain moving in from the West, further thundery showers in between any drier interludes and stronger winds for the time of year.”