UK twice as likely to have glorious summer of sun this year with soaring temperatures and heatwaves, says Met Office
BRITS are in for a glorious treat this summer with soaring temperatures twice as likely.
But the Met Office has warned there’s also a higher chance of heatwaves on the cards.
This comes after the UK experienced the sunniest spring on record, with around 630 hours of sunshine from March 1 to May 27.
It has also been the driest spring in 69 years, which saw some parts of England declared in drought.
The Environment Agency imposed the status in the north-west of England after groundwater levels and river flows declined due to the dry conditions in March, April and early May.
There are currently no hose pipe bans in force in any part of the UK but earlier this month the Environment Agency warned water companies that more must be done to safeguard water supplies.
Water companies are responsible for imposing any water restrictions, such as a hose pipe ban, which can restrict water usage.
Companies can enforce a Temporary Use Ban using the guidelines set out in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
These bans can restrict or prohibit activities like watering gardens and washing cars.
A water authority can bring in a ban if it believes it is experiencing, or may experience, a serious shortage of water for distribution across a certain area.
It comes as temperatures soared to 8C above the average for the time of year on Saturday.
It only proves as an indication of what’s to come this summer season.
The Met Office’s three-month forecast shows it is 2.3 times more likely than normal that the UK will be hot over meteorological summer, which begins on June 1 and ends August 31.
Average temperatures across the UK over those months range from 10-17C, with the south east of England experiencing the higher averages of 16-17C.
The Met Office said: “While the current three-month outlook shows an increased chance of a hot summer, the temperature signals for this summer are similar to those for recent years and consistent with our warming climate.
“The increased chance of hotter than average temperatures is not a guarantee of prolonged hot weather or heatwaves, but it does mean that heatwave conditions could be reached at times.
“However, it’s important to bear in mind that an increased chance of hot conditions could also reflect a mix of hot and cool days, warm nights, or less extreme levels of warmth rather than continual heatwave conditions specifically.”
However, the latest predictions suggest rainfall and wind speeds for the next three months will likely be near average.
The long-range forecast does not identify weather for a specific day or week but gives an indication of possible temperature, rainfall and wind speed over the period as a whole.
How to keep cool in hot weather
Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS...
Keep out of the heat if you can.
If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
Cool yourself down.
Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
Keep your living space cool.
Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.
This comes as Brits have spent the weekend basking in the 26C heat with hundreds flocking down to the beach.
UK temperatures soared on Saturday to officially cement this year as the sunniest spring on record.
Heathrow in west London peaked at 26.7C which was about 8C hotter than the average in the area for the time of year.
The scorching heat also brought with it very high levels of grass pollen in the South East.
The final day of May topped off a hot few months in the UK with provisional figures from the Met Office showing 630 hours of sunshine were clocked up between March 1 and May 27.
But Sunday showers rained on the weather’s parade, with cooler temperatures and raid across much of Britain.
It all comes less than a week after Brits were soaked in a washout Bank Holiday Monday.
Temperatures dropped to as low as -5C in some regions.
Thunderstorms hit across the UK, with one area – in and around the River Mimram in Hertfordshire – being issued with a flood alert.