Britain is poised to bask in a heatwave dubbed the ‘Mediterranean melt’ – but the sizzling conditions could see temperatures as hot as Malibu or Barbados.
Sunny weather is set to take hold for the coming week and into next weekend, with temperatures gradually increasing from a high of 26C (79F) today.
By the weekend, the Met Office predicts highs of 29C (84F) in the South East.
Apple devices, which use forecasting data from US provider The Weather Channel, predict by next Monday or Tuesday the heat could have reached 32C or 90F, on a par with Malibu, California, or Barbados.
The term ‘Mediterranean melt’ has been used by commentators because of the plume of southerly air bringing the conditions.
The top temperatures in northern and western parts of England and Wales are due to rise from 20C at the start of the week to 24C-25C into the weekend.
The sun rises over farmers’ fields in the Oxfordshire village of Dunsden this morning
Next weekend, there is a ‘low risk’ thunder could return in the West.
Forecasters said warm and sunny conditions are then set to continue in the South East ‘although some rain will probably spread from the West or North West at times’.
There is also a ‘risk that isolated heavy showers and thunderstorms could develop’.
The hot and dry weather comes as drought conditions were declared in Yorkshire and Welsh Water declared ‘Drought developing status’ in mid-Wales, which could lead to hosepipe bans if there is no rain in the meantime.
Thunder on Friday evening and into Saturday morning saw 30,000 lightning strikes across southern Britain and torrential rain before warm, dry and sunny conditions returned yesterday.
Meanwhile an investigation by consumer magazine Which? found a third of children’s sunglasses bought from popular online marketplaces are unsafe and do not provide the required UV protection.
Experts have warned these could be ‘dangerous’ for youngsters to wear and could even lead to cataracts.
