Hot weather forecast: 5-day heatwave starts THIS WEEK as Azores jet stream hits Britain
A MINI-HEATWAVE is about to envelope the UK - ushering in a five-day period of unseasonably warm weather, forecasters have predicted.
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The mercury is set to hit 23C (73F) by Friday as warm air from the Azores jet stream bakes much of the UK to unseasonable highs, according to WX CHARTS. Moving north, the Midlands are set to hit highs of 20C (68F) and above, with the southwest seeing similar temperatures from tomorrow.
Further north Scotland and Northern Ireland will remain pleasant - peaking at 17C (63F).
The heat is set to gradually rise from tomorrow - giving the working week a glorious finale.
London is again set to see most of the glorious sunshine with the mercury hitting highs of 22C (72F).
This heat will remain throughout much of the southeast - cooling slightly in the southwest and Midlands.
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Heading further north it mirrors a picture seen today - with sun worshippers in store for pleasant if not spectacular weather.
Moving into Thursday and Friday - temperatures are set to peak at 23C (73F), according to the website.
The forecasters believe this unseasonably warm weather will remain throughout the weekend - with temperatures hitting highs of 22C (72F) in the southeast.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, forecaster Jim Dale, from the British Weather Services, explained that climate change has led to the UK’s summer often being extended into the first three weeks of September.
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Whereas in past decades the month would usher in autumn, it is not now unusual to see bright, dry and sunny weather well into the month, he explained.
He said: “What we’re in for is an extended summary month for the first three weeks of September because of climate change.
“What we are going into now is pretty weather, it’s very pleasing but it’s not probably a lot more than that.”
Sadly, Mr Dale said that the glorious weather is unlikely to last past Sunday as the jet stream gradually moves south.
This warm air will be steadily replaced with colder and wetter weather as September’s end nears, he said.
He said: “It all starts to change at the weekend so strike while the iron’s hot and make the most of it while it’s still here.
“Soon we'll be asking for it back and we probably won’t be getting it back very easily.
“All of this type of upside-down weather - that is part of the longer-term occasion of working out what the weather is going to do.
“In other words, it's more unpredictable. It’s hard to tell what is going to happen from one week to the next.”