Getty ImagesThe UK could see a return of 30C heat just in time for bank holiday Monday, amid what is expected to be among the hottest summers on record.
More unsettled weather is expected from Tuesday, as the remnants of Hurricane Erin are set to bring wind and rain to the country for much of next week.
Huge crowds are expected to gather for London’s Notting Hill Carnival, as well as Reading and Leeds festival, and Creamfields in Cheshire over the weekend, conditions are set to become increasingly warm and sunny.
The bright bank holiday comes in the wake of four heatwaves in the UK so far this summer.
The Met Office said last week that, even though the summer is yet to be over, it was already on track to be among the country’s hottest on record.
Those hoping to make the most of the warm weather may have to grapple with travel delays and cancellations.
A strike on the CrossCountry network could make getting back from Leeds tricky on Sunday, while engineering works will mean no LNER trains in or out of London King’s Cross.
Customers are being told not to travel on any CrossCountry routes, aside from those from Birmingham towards Penzance, Paignton, Bournemoth and Guildford.
The CrossCountry strike will continue on Monday, when there will be no trains between Birmingham, Reading and the south coast of England. There will also be no service between Leicester, Cambridge and Stansted Airport.
The RNLI also warned people planning a trip to the coast to use lifeguarded beaches and to beware of rough seas.
Weather over the weekend will be largely dry and cloudy, with temperatures expected to peak at 24C on Sunday.
Monday’s warmth will arrive as the remnants of Hurricane Erin – which skirted the Caribbean and east coast of the US this week – push warm, tropical air towards the UK.
The warmest temperatures will be felt in England and Wales – though Scotland could still see peaks in the low 20s.
However, this will be short-lived, as cooler, unsettled weather will develop as the storm arrives over the British Isles on Tuesday.
The Met Office expects rain to persist throughout the rest of the week, though strong winds will stay offshore.
Hot weather earlier in the summer caused travel disruption that led to frustration for those attending concerts and sporting events, as well as wildfires.
The prolonged dry periods have also led to a significant shortfall of water in England, with hosepipe bans declared for millions – some of which are set to remain into the winter.
This means the UK is on course for one of its worst harvests on record, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, a statutory research organisation.
Farmers have already voiced their concerns about the coming crop, with Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson writing on social media earlier this month: “It looks like this year’s harvest will be catastrophic.”
There are also signs that the heat was bringing autumnal changes forward by affecting the timings of biological processes.
While linking climate change with specific individual weather events can be difficult, scientists say that climate change is generally making bouts of hot weather longer, more intense and more frequent.
Four summer heatwaves in quick succession after an unusually warm spring suggests climate change is having some effect on 2025’s weather.
