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UK weather: Temperatures drop by up to 10 degrees as heatwave loses grip on Europe

‘Temperatures are back to where they should be at this time of the year,’ says Met Office

Alessio Perrone
Sunday 30 June 2019 14:18 BST
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(PA Images)

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The sizzling heat that grappled parts of England and Wales on Saturday is set to subside as temperatures drop by up to 10 degrees across the UK.

After Britain experienced the hottest day since 2017 on Saturday, with the mercury reaching 34C in Heathrow and Northolt, the Met Office said it will be noticeably cooler today and tomorrow as Atlantic air coming across the UK brings fresher and breezier conditions.

“Temperatures might be nine or 10 degrees lower in some places,” says Met Office meteorologist Sarah Kent. “Sheffield, for example, reached 30.8C yesterday, but it should only be 20-21 today.”

Ms Kent said high temperatures would be around 25 in London and the southeast, 20 in Wales and 18 in Carlisle.

“Although this might be disappointing for those that were hoping for more heat, temperatures are back to where they should be,” she said.

She said the average temperature for London is around 22C at this time of the year.

The weather will form a northwest-southeast split today.

Most of central, eastern and southeastern England will still bask in plenty of strong sunshine and dry weather, but showery rain is set to return to Scotland and the northwest.

After a cloudy and windy night in many places across the UK, isolated showers might develop across the UK tomorrow, with bands of rain will move to central areas from the north and northwest during the day.

The best sunshine is again taking place in southern and southeastern England, where it will remain mostly dry.

Temperatures might only pick up again towards the end of next week, when the wind is predicted to ease and high pressure should build west, bringing dry and settled conditions and temperatures in the mid-twenties.

“If everything comes together, temperatures could rise up to 26C-27C,” says Sarah Kent. “The average for London for this time of the year is about 22C, so it would still be above average.”

The heatwave also looks set to lose its grip on Europe as the huge bubble of Saharan air that caused it begins its return towards the Mediterranean Sea.

Massive wildfires developed in northeastern Spain and southwestern France in the last few days, while at least three people died because of the heat in Italy.

Catalonia battled the largest wildfire in 20 years in the region, while another fire developed near Toledo, Spain, and spread into the Community of Madrid.

Catalan firefighters are still warning that weather conditions are still “very harsh”, straining vegetation and heightening the risk of more wildfires.

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