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Temperatures may reach 30C in UK this weekend as summer weather heats up

People sit on the grass outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on a warm day in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Sunday July 12, 2020. (Jacob King/PA via AP)
People sit on the grass outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on a warm day in Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday. (PA via AP)

Temperatures in the UK may reach as high as 30C this weekend, the Met Office has forecast.

Following last weekend’s warm weather, parts of Britain will again bask in sunshine in the coming days, either side of a rainy interlude.

The south of England can expect to see temperatures of up to 29C and even 30C on Saturday, the Met Office said.

That would put it close to the hottest day of the year so far, which was 24 June when temperatures rose to 31C.

People enjoy a boat trip on a warm day in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Sunday July 12, 2020. (Jacob King/PA via AP)
People enjoy a boat trip on a warm day in Stratford-upon-Avon on Sunday. (PA via AP)

The rest of this week will be slightly cooler, with temperatures in the low to mid-20s.

Saturday’s hot weather will come with a north/south divide, as a cold front moving across the UK will mean cooler temperatures in Northern Ireland and Scotland of about 18C or 19C.

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“Things will warm up from mid to late-week and will be at their warmest on Saturday, mainly focussed on the south and south-east of England,” said Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond.

“In general, temperatures could be between 26C and 28C, but we wouldn’t rule out 29C and, at a push, 30C.

“The south and south-east of England will see temperatures in the mid to high 20s on Saturday.

“On Saturday, a cold front will push south eastwards across the UK and it will be cooler in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“For the rest of the week temperatures will be in the low to mid-20s before Friday and Saturday.”

Wednesday is St Swithin’s Day, which folklore claims is the date that dictates the future weather for the next 40 days.

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St Swithin was a ninth century Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester and, according to legend, was tutor to a young King Alfred the Great.

He is best known for a proverb which predicts 40 days of rain or sun, depending on what weather hits the UK on his special day.

The Met Office has forecast a cloudy day on Wednesday with some drizzle.

Families enjoy the sunny and warm weather on a hill at Northala fields with the backdrop of London, Friday, June 26, 2020. Northala fields consists of four large earth mounds built using waste from the original Wembley Stadium and the building of the White City Westfield shopping centre. The mounds reduce noise pollution, provide a view point and are an interesting landmark for the area in west London. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Families enjoy the warm weather at Northala Fields with the backdrop of London last month. (AP Photo)

Meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "For many it's going to be a largely cloudy day.

"There will be a rain that could be a bit heavy at times, particularly across parts of Scotland and then western areas of the UK – so north-west England, Wales, south-west England.

But asked if the UK will have 40 days of rain, Burkill said: "I think in the history of anything that has never happened, and that's not going to happen this time, fortunately."

He added: "It's a drier and brighter picture as we go into the start of August - it does look like we're going to see more prolonged dry spells than really we've had this month.”

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