UK heatwave: Is a three-month 'heat dome' coming? Met Office responds
OVER last weekend, it was widely reported that Britain would bask in a three-month ‘continental heat dome’, sending temperatures skyrocketing. Now, the Met Office has responded.
BBC weather: Europe set for thunderstorms ahead of heatwave
News of the heatwave was reported across British media channels, with summer-lovers gleeful for a continental-style late summer this year. According to the reports, temperatures would top 32C in eastern England by the end of August and persist until October. But now, the Met Office has sought to clear things up.
A Met Office spokesman told Liverpool Echo: “The ‘heat dome’ isn’t a meteorological term, for context it is talking about an area of high pressure - but it is quite an inept way of defining.
“The three-month seasonal outlook isn’t meant to be for the public, it is used to determine whether it will be dry or cooler and is mostly there to inform construction companies and health services.”
He added that while temperatures might be slightly above normal, it doesn’t mean there’ll be a heatwave.
The spokesman also said: “It could be warmer than average, but that average may be just half a degree above the usual.”
The Met Office defines a heatwave as “a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.”
So while a ‘heat dome’ might not be on its way, it still looks like the rest of summer will bring plenty of warm, sunny weather.
First, however, the UK might see some rather dismal conditions as rain is forecast.
A band of rain is set to sweep over the nation on Thursday, and stick around for a few days.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “It’s been a dry July across England and Wales so far but the weather is about to change.
“We are going to start to see rain arrive especially in the northwest.”
Despite a warm start across the south and central areas, the sunshine will “steadily disappear” as the afternoon approaches.
Mr Deakin added, however: “It’s not going to rain all day in Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
“Some of the patchy rain will also ease into North Wales, Northwest England, and eventually into eastern Scotland.”
On Wednesday evening that band of wet weather will spread across the UK before the “patchy rain” hits eastern England.
This could turn into “heavy downpours” on Thursday afternoon, Mr Deakin said.
Friday and Saturday could also be showery, and commuters are urged to “stay tuned” to forecasts into next week.