After a week of rain and showers across Wales, Met Office weather maps indicate that temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend as warmer and drier weather moves in. The Met Office states that a more settled spell is likely from Saturday, with temperatures across parts of the UK reaching the high 20s and potentially approaching 30C in some areas. Currently, temperatures are forecast to reach 23C in parts of Wales and England on Saturday and 25C on both Sunday and Monday.
However, as things stand, Wales will fall just short of a heatwave. In Wales, a heatwave is officially recorded when the country reaches or exceeds 25C for at least three consecutive days. The forecaster said there will be a return to more settled conditions from the weekend with the likelihood of temperatures reaching the high 20s. But it will be rainy and changeable until Saturday.
Forecast Details
The hottest day this week will be Sunday. Areas of south-east Wales could reach 25C and above, according to the Met Office. A spokesman said: "In the lead up to this spell of fine weather conditions will remain unsettled. A showery regime will dominate for most of this week. This will include some brighter interludes, but also plenty of showers, some of which will be heavy with a chance of hail and thunder in places."
The Met Office's longer-range forecast suggests the warmer weather could continue into next week, with high pressure becoming more influential across much of the UK. Its outlook for June 13 to June 22 says: "The start of this period will see a transition to a generally more settled weather pattern for much of the UK, as high pressure exerts more influence. With the build of pressure will come an increase in temperatures, with the potential for very warm or hot conditions to become established by mid-month, especially across parts of England and Wales."
Meteorologist's View
Meteorologist Dan Stroud said temperatures are expected to rise through the weekend following several days of unsettled weather. "We're looking at temperatures climbing into the weekend, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, so feeling much warmer than recent days, with temperatures quite widely above average, especially across the south come Saturday, and even more so on Sunday," he said. Current forecasts suggest temperatures could reach the high 20s, with a chance of hitting 30C in some parts of the UK. "How high the temperatures get is still open to a fair amount of debate," Mr Stroud said. "There is growing signal that temperatures will be heading comfortably into the high 20s, perhaps breaking 30 degrees again. There is definitely a chance of temperatures scraping into above 30 degrees on Sunday, and then more so on Monday. We keep close tabs on it because there is always the potential for hitting heatwave criteria again."
The warmer spell follows the record-breaking heat at the end of May, when temperatures reached 32.9C at Cardiff's Bute Park, making it the hottest May day on record in Wales.
