Britain may be in for a scorching summer as weather maps show a surge of hot air from Africa heading toward Europe.
The Met Office's long-range forecast suggests that temperatures could be above average for much of the UK in June and July, with the possibility of some periods of rain and thunder in the south and southwest.
High pressure to dominate northern areas
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
According to the Met Office, high pressure is likely to remain dominant for northern areas of the UK, bringing fine and dry weather for most.
However, clouds, rain, and showers are more likely to affect the south, especially towards the end of May and into June.
The forecast also warns of an increased chance of thunderstorms in the south and southwest, which could bring some localized disruption.
The Met Office said that its long-range forecast is based on output from a range of weather models, including its own and those from other global forecasting centers.
However, it also cautions that there is a level of uncertainty associated with these predictions, as small events over the Atlantic can have significant impacts on the UK's weather in several days' time.
The Met Office's chief meteorologist, Paul Davies, said: "There are some glimmers of hope in the long-range outlook for some warmer and drier spells for many parts of the UK."
"However, we will still see some unsettled weather at times, especially in the south and southwest where there is a greater risk of heavy showers and thunderstorms. We will continue to monitor the situation and update our forecasts accordingly."
While Britain may enjoy some warm and sunny spells this summer, it may not be as hot as some parts of Europe, which are expected to see temperatures soar above 35C, as per Express.
Weather maps from WXCharts show a plume of hot air from northern Africa pushing into southern Europe, turning the continent red with heat.
However, these maps do not show the UK reaching anywhere near the 35C mark, as the country may be "picking up Europe's scraps" when it comes to hot weather.
Instead, Britain may see more moderate temperatures in the mid-20s or low-30s, depending on the location and the time of day.
Nevertheless, some weather experts have suggested that Britain could see a blistering 36C heatwave this summer, as a result of a phenomenon known as the "Spanish plume".
This occurs when warm air from the Iberian Peninsula clashes with cooler air from the Atlantic, creating instability and thunderstorms over France and the UK.
One such expert is Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, who said: "There is potential for a Spanish plume to develop later in June or July which could bring temperatures in excess of 35C (95F) or even 36C (96.8F)."
"This happens when hot air from Spain meets cooler Atlantic air over France and Britain which triggers thunderstorms. It is too early to say for sure if this will happen but there are signs that we could see some very hot weather this summer."
Whether Britain will experience such extreme heat or not remains to be seen, but for now, it seems that the country is edging closer to a warmer-than-average summer, with some potential for wet and stormy weather in some regions.
