Forecasters at the Met Office have responded to claims that a plume of heat from Africa is set to sweep up across Europe and bring a warm end to the month, with high temperatures for Halloween. Some forecasters this weekend predicted that temperatures in parts of the UK could reach as high as 23C by the end of October.
Netweather forecaster Nick Finnis said: “Some computer models show 22C or 23C by midweek," reports The Mirror.
He added: “An exceptionally-warm plume of air from northwest Africa looks like being pumped across Europe and to Britain, with up to the low 30s in France, and over 20C in southern Britain.”
Responding to the claims, Met Office weather forecaster Becky Mitchell said we will likely see the mercury nudging 4C higher than would normally be expected for this time of year. Speaking to The Sun Online, she said: "The warmer air we are expecting in the middle of this week will originate from northern Africa.
"Temperatures will bit a little above average across the UK this week, with highs of 17-18C each day in the south. We can expect to see temperatures reach around 21C in the south on Thursday as a southerly wind draws up warm air from France."
Dr Mark McCarthy of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre said: “It was the warmest year so far up to the end of September, with each month since January being warmer than average. 2022 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record if warmer-than-average conditions persist.”
The current Met Office forecast for October 21 to October 30 reads: "Temperatures could be mild in the south and west, with colder spells in the northeast. For the rest of the country temperatures will be near normal, perhaps warm during sunny spells."
For the start of November the Met Officer says: "A more prolonged period of settled weather is likely to develop in November bringing some drier weather."
