Is there a heatwave on the way? Whisper it quietly, but the sun may be making an appearance
The weather is set to turn hot and sunny – just as the schools go back.
After one of the worst summers in years, we can finally enjoy the prospect of something that resembles a heatwave.
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 20s by the middle of the week, all thanks to a blast of hot air coming from southern Europe.
As Hurricane Franklin rages over the Atlantic, it is helping to push high pressure and unseasonably warm conditions towards the UK, the forecaster said.
The update comes after the weather service said last month that tropical storms could bring hot and dry weather, leading to a hotter-than-average September.
It follows a pattern of our weather being dictated by global events.
A shift in the jet stream has given much of Europe one of its hottest summers on record, but left the UK trapped in a cycle of cool and wet conditions. Average temperatures for September in the West Midlands are in the late teens, according to the Met Office.
The news of warmer weather ahead will be welcomed by many who have been underwhelmed by one of the wettest July months on record followed by a mixed bag of sunshine and rain in August.
A fine weekend will also be a relief to those who are putting on events in the West Midlands for the end of summer, including the Eccleshall Show and Classic and Retro Car Show at Himley. According to the Met Office, for a weather event to count as a heatwave there must be temperatures of 25C (77F) or higher for three days or more, with that threshold rising to 28C (82F) or more in warmer regions including the south-east of England.
Grahame Madge, Met Office spokesman, said we are likely to enjoy a good spell of fine weather.
He said: "Because of the energy, heat, and moisture that tropical storms contain, they are significant disruptors of the North Atlantic atmosphere.
"Hurricane Franklin is pushing high pressure our way.
"We are likely to see heatwave conditions in some of the UK.
"We are expecting 26 or 27C, possibly 28C with scope for higher temperatures. By and large, most people will be in for a fine and sunny week possibly edging into next weekend.
"The clarity of the breakdown of these weather events is uncertain because of the impact of tropical cyclones."
