Britain is set to bask in a 27C heatwave later this week, making the country hotter than California. The warmth arrives courtesy of Storm Austen, a 500-mile-wide weather system crossing the Atlantic, which will initially draw scorching air northwards from the tropics and Spain rather than deliver gloomy conditions.
Temperatures 10C above seasonal average
Temperatures could rocket to as high as 27C – or 81F – on Monday, September 28, and remain high across Wednesday, reports the Daily Star. Top temperatures will sit 10C above the seasonal average, rendering the UK hotter than the 25C forecast for the US coastal resort of Malibu, California.
The last occasion Britain witnessed such autumnal warmth was back in 2011, when thermometers reached 29.9C on October 1. While the south east will bask in the highest temperatures, northern regions can still anticipate a respectable 23C.
Storm to bring winds and rain
The warm spell, however, will be short-lived. The storm will also unleash 60mph winds and torrential rainfall, with the Environment Agency issuing flood warnings.
The Met Office indicated the system could be powerful enough to warrant naming. It will be designated Austen should it generate amber warnings for both wind and rain.
Forecasters' warnings
A Met Office forecaster said: "Temperatures are set to rise once again with warmth driven north on Tuesday and Wednesday and highs potentially reaching the mid to high 20s. A low-pressure system will draw in warm, moist Atlantic air, bringing periods of rain and strengthening winds. The most persistent rainfall is expected in western areas. Whether the storm will be named will become clearer."
The Environment Agency stated: "Local flooding is possible from surface water on Monday and Tuesday."
