Met Office reveals if UK will see 35°C ‘Saharan plume’ later this month

The Met Office is shutting down suggestions that the UK could be in for scorching weather later this month.

We’ve had a wild start to May so far, with the hottest days of the year so far followed by heavy thunderstorms and then followed again by warm weather and sunshine (in places).

As we’re currently experiencing milder weather than we saw last weekend, many will be looking ahead and hoping for hotter temperatures to come.

Some forecasters including WXCharts are predicting that the UK will see a ‘Saharan plume’ later this month – which bring hotter weather, with temperatures as high as 35°C as well as dust clouds choking the atmosphere.

But these predictions have been pooh-poohed by the Met Office, who told the Liverpool Echo it’s too far ahead to comment on a possible heatwave later this month.

They also say their forecasts have no suggestion of a Saharan plume heading our way – good news for our cars which would otherwise end up coated in dust.

The Met Office’s long-range UK forecast for May 18-27 currently predicts temperatures to be ‘around or a little above average’ – with the maximum temperature across the UK in May in the last three decades being 15.13°C.

Its forecast explains: ‘Changeable with showers developing by day across the UK through the end of the week and over the weekend [May 18 and 19].

‘The heaviest showers and greatest risk of thunderstorms across southern parts.

‘Temperatures generally around or just a little above average, though with winds tending to be light, still feeling warm in sunnier areas.

‘Over the weekend there are signs that showers may start to ease across the north with drier, more settled conditions probably becoming established for a time here. Confidence lowers into the following week with signals mixed.

‘On balance a continuation of the showers in the south seems most likely, with the north continuing to see the best of any drier weather. Temperatures probably remaining a little above average.’

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