Summer warmth set to make a comeback this week, with drier conditions expected for most
Published 4 hours ago
Spells of summer heat are expected to return this week, with temperatures predicted to hit 28C (82F) in certain areas.
Following a relatively cool week last week, all regions of the UK are anticipated to experience warmer conditions.
It will also be drier for the majority, though periods of rain will still occur.
Unfortunately for hay fever sufferers, pollen levels are likely to increase as the rising temperatures follow recent wet weather.
### How warm will it get?
Every part of the UK is expected to feel warmer this week compared to last week.
Temperatures may vary from day to day, depending on shifts in wind direction and cloud cover, but will generally be near or above the seasonal average. Nights and the early morning commute will also become warmer.
For western Scotland and Northern Ireland, temperatures are likely to peak at the start of the week under light south-easterly winds, with highs around 19-21C (66-70F).
Elsewhere, as winds shift between southerly and south-westerly, temperatures more broadly in the low to mid-20s Celsius can be expected on some days.
Eastern parts of the UK are likely to see the highest temperatures later this week.
The main surge of heat will arrive later in the week, on Thursday and Friday.
Building heat across parts of Europe appears likely to move our way, but particularly towards central and eastern England at this stage.
Forecasts indicate highs of around 28C (82F), but sunshine amounts and the precise wind direction mean actual temperatures could be a few degrees higher or lower.
A shift to westerly winds by the weekend will cause temperatures to drop again, but some computer models suggest the possibility of a brief return of heat the following week.
### Weather battleground means rain still likely
The UK is expected to be caught between high pressure over the near continent and low pressure in the North Atlantic.
Complications in the forecast this week arise from the contrasting weather patterns on either side of the UK.
High pressure across mainland Europe will cause intense heat to build there. Locations such as Paris and Berlin could reach 35 or 36C (95 or 97F). Meanwhile, a cool, showery area of low pressure will sit near the north-west of the UK.
Each will influence our weather this week, leading to periods of potentially hot sunshine mixed with occasional bursts of rain.
The showery nature means totals will vary significantly. Those in the north and west, closer to the low pressure, will tend to see higher rainfall amounts, while some in the south-east may see little or no rain at all.
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However, rainfall is still expected to be less than in recent weeks.
Only halfway through the month, several sites across southern England, Cumbria, the Isle of Man, Dumfries and Galloway, and Northern Ireland have already received more rainfall than they would normally in the entire month of June.
Parts of East Anglia and southern England, including Norwich, Milton Keynes, and Bournemouth, have also seen more rain fall so far this month than they did throughout the whole of June.
### Grass pollen season is approaching its peak
Pollen levels increasing
As always, an increase in sunshine and warmth usually comes with some downsides.
Hay fever sufferers may have already noticed more sneezing and itchy eyes over recent days as we head into the peak of grass pollen season.
Rainy days recently have suppressed some of that pollen, but levels are likely to get a boost this week.
Warmer days often mean greater pollen release, and if sunny, dry, and breezy, they are notoriously the most challenging days for allergy sufferers.
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