What is an Indian summer and will we get one this year?
Summer weather in the UK isn't always the most predictable. In fact, it has been the coolest summer since 2015, according to provisional Met Office statistics.
If you've been holding out hope that the weather might improve before we move into autumn and winter, you might have wondered whether we might still be treated to an Indian summer this year.
An Indian summer — a name used to describe a late burst of warm weather in autumn — first gained popularity in the UK in the early 19th century. But what exactly does it mean? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the phrase and where it originates from...
Where does the phrase Indian summer come from?
While the exact origins of the phrase are not known, the Met Office says several writers have speculated it may have referred to hazy autumn conditions that allowed Native American Indians to continue hunting — especially in October and November.
First used in the eastern United States, these second summer days were first recorded in a letter written by Frenchman John de Crevecoeur dated 17th January 1778. In his letter, he said: "Sometimes the rain is followed by an interval of calm and warm which is called the Indian summer."
What makes an Indian summer?
Autumn heatwaves before the frost of fall really set in are often referred to as Indian summers, but what exactly makes an Indian summer? Typically, an Indian summer is a period of abnormally warm weather following the freeze of autumn.
According to the BBC, some people claim that an Indian summer cannot come until after the first damaging frost of autumn, or after a severely cold episode sometimes known as a "Squaw Winter".
Will we have an Indian summer 2024?
Beautiful balmy autumnal days are what many of us dream of. According to the Met Office's long range forecast, we may still see some spells of warmer weather before the end of the month.
Given that temperatures have dipped over the past week or so thanks to an Arctic breeze, the BBC predicts that "South-westerly winds will bring air from a warmer source over the weekend with temperatures climbing to - or perhaps slightly above - the seasonal norm. Highs of 14 to 20C are expected across the country and the nights will become milder too."
You might want to hold off on bringing out your winter coat, boots and heavier duvet for just a bit longer. This is because "early next week high pressure is set to build more strongly and temperatures could climb even further - widely reaching 19 or 20C across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Some parts of England could even see the mercury touching 23 or 24C by Wednesday," according to the BBC.
And the Met Office concurs. From Tuesday 17th until Thursday 26th, "temperatures during the day will likely be above average in many areas, although some cold nights are possible in places. A similar pattern will probably persist through the following week, although by late September there is a chance that more unsettled conditions may begin to develop."
Here's to making the most of the warmer weather while we can.
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