UK weather twice as likely to be hot this summer after sunniest spring on record

This summer is likely to be a hot one with an increased risk of heatwaves forecasters have predicted.

Last year, the UK had a disappointing (lack of) summer, due to cooler winds brought down by a shifted jet stream.

But this year, we’re 2.3 times more likely to see temperatures warmer than average.

The Met Office has also confirmed the UK recorded its warmest spring on record and its driest in more than 50 years.

Its three-month outlook predicts average temperatures over the three summer months will range from 10-17°C, with the south east of England experiencing the higher averages of 16-17°C.

Between March 1 and May 27, there were already some 630 hours of sunshine clocked up across the country.

It has also been the driest spring for more than a century, so don’t be surprised if you soon see hosepipe bans in place.

And the warm weather can also bring with it increased risk of fires.

Insurer Aviva warned today that they have already seen claims for fires spike during the warm spring, as people get their barbecues out, and dry conditions make grass more likely to catch light.

In 2022, a freakishly hot 40°C summer saw wildfires destroy homes in London, as well as blaze alongside a motorway, with the fire brigade seeing their busiest day since World War Two.

On Saturday, the last day of meteorological spring, temperatures soared to 8C above the average for the time of year.

While there might be some rain tomorrow, in general the weather is set to be warm.

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.’

The summers of 2018 and 2021-2023 were also predicted to be hot. with data showing it has been a decade since the last time a summer was predicted to be cool, in 2015.

The latest outlook also shows the levels of rainfall and wind speed for the summer will likely be near average.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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