A hot spell set to sweep the country on Wednesday could be the last the UK sees this year, forecasters have said.
Following the UK’s sixth-wettest July on record and a mixed August, London was set to bask in sunshine and temperatures of around 26C on Wednesday.
But while Londoners may be hoping for a much-anticipated Indian summer, the mercury was forecast to dip again on Wednesday night, making way for a grey and rainy Thursday with highs of 24C and drizzly conditions predicted.
The temperature is set to drop further into the low 20s as the week progresses.
Highs of 22C are predicted in the capital across the bank holiday weekend, with a chance of rain on Saturday, following a largely dry Sunday and Monday.
Major events including Notting Hill Carnival and All Points East music festival are set to take place in the capital across the three-day weekend.
Forecasters said that while many people across the country could see rain at some point over the bank holiday - the last before Christmas - there should be “plenty of dry and bright weather” to enjoy.
While temperatures are expected to be lower for the next few weeks, they added that hurricane season in the Atlantic could bring warmer and drier weather to our shores before autumn sets in.
Speaking of the national forecast for the next few days, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: “[On Wednesday] it is going to be dry with sunny spells overall in the east and south of the country.
“In terms of temperatures, we are going to have highs of 27C.
“By Friday we will have highs of 23C. It’s going to be a cooler bank holiday but with drier weather on Sunday into Monday – overall a better weekend than we’ve had for some time.
“The trends are lower for the next few weeks. I wouldn’t rule out it being the last warm spell of the year.
“(But) as we start getting into the active part of the hurricane season, with storms in the Atlantic, this can sometimes bring drier and warmer conditions.”
