End of summer: Hopes of heatwave dampened as Met Office warns rain and thunderstorms to last into September
9 August 2023, 10:53 | Updated: 11 August 2023, 07:12
Brits hoping for a hot and sunny end to summer have had their hopes dashed after the Met Office warned rain and thunderstorms could last into September.
It has been a thoroughly miserable summer so far, with plenty of rain, cloud, and thunderstorms across the UK.
There have been intermittent spells of sunshine throughout July and August, though it has felt wetter and cooler than normal.
There had been hopes of an end-of-summer heatwave coming to the rescue, but the Met Office has now dampened those hopes with its new long range forecast.
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Weather across the UK between August 13 and August 22 will remain unsettled, with plenty of showers and the possibility of thunderstorms.
Areas in the west of the country will see the most rainfall, while it may be drier in the south. Temperatures will remain around average, meaning it will stay around the low 20s.
If you had hopes of the final week of the month getting better, then you may be disappointed.
While the Met Office says "some extended dry and settled spells are possible", there is more chance of it remaining wetter than average.
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The Met Office forecast from August 23 to September 6 reads: "Rainfall is likely to be a mixture of organised frontal rain and showers with some of the showers possibly turning thundery.
"The potential for fleeting warm or hot spells exists, but in general, temperatures are likely to be around normal, or slightly warmer, for the time of year."
The UK's weather forecast is in stark contrast to the rest of Europe, which has been experiencing extreme heatwave and rampant wildfires.
More than a thousand people were evacuated from the Portuguese town of Odemira as the country battled raging wildfires over the weekend.
Some 800 firefighters attended a blaze on Monday, with authorities evacuating around 1,400 people.
Nine firefighters were injured tackling the wildfire, which started as temperatures soar towards 40C on the Iberian peninsula.
The town is north of Portugal's Faro district, which is home to the Algarve.
It comes amid soaring temperatures in the country, as Santarém recorded 46.4C on Monday, the hottest temperature of the year so far.
