Rain and thundery showers with lightning could batter London on the final days of the summer holidays as the remnants of Hurricane Erin inch closer to the UK. Experts believe the category two storm, currently moving eastwards across the North Atlantic, may hit our shores by the middle of next week.
BBC Weather is predicting wet conditions from Thursday, August 28, with thundery showers predicted over the following weekend and into the week after on Tuesday afternoon (September 2). Thankfully, the wind looks likely to be nothing more than a gentle breeze – but this could change as we get closer to these dates.
Tom Morgan, a meteorologist at the Met Office, says it is too soon to know which area will get the brunt. He said: “It is too early for specific details about which parts of the country will see the windiest and wettest weather. What we can say is that it will gradually turn less hot and be more generally changeable.”
Temperatures have already plummeted in recent days, with some commuters now choosing to bring a light jacket on their early morning journeys. Things are set to pick up slightly, as forecasts show a high of 22C from now until Sunday (August 24), before jumping to 25C on Bank Holiday Monday.
However, don’t put the layers away just yet as the latter end of the week will see thermometers reach a high of just 19C. Whilst not chilly, that’s not exactly the heatwave conditions we’ve grown accustomed too.
There’s a good chance the country will also experience large waves as the thundery weather moves across. As such, this weekend may not be the best choice for that seaside trip you’ve been thinking about.
Mr Morgan continued: “Ex-hurricane Erin will bring quite a large swell in the sea so we could potentially see waves of four to five metres in height for the western isles of Scotland and Ireland and so for holidaymakers going to the coast, that could prove quite a hazard.”
He warned this potentially unsettled weather is still “a long way in the future” and a spell of sunshine is due over the coming days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is particularly good news for those heading to Notting Hill Carnival and All Points East, with Mr Morgan adding: “It’s looking very summer-like and really pleasant to warm for most.”
Earlier this week Erin had lost some strength from previous days and dropped to a category two hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105mph, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said. By Tuesday it was about 650 miles (1,050km) south-west of Bermuda.
Rough ocean conditions along the US east coast led to at least 60 swimmers being rescued from rip currents on Monday at Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina.
London’s latest 10-day weather forecast
Here is how the next ten days are shaping up, according to BBC Weather:
- August 22 – High of 22C / Low of 15C, sunny intervals and light wind
- August 23 – High of 21C/ Low of 13C, light cloud and light wind
- August 24 – High of 22C/ Low of 12C, sunny intervals and light wind
- August 25 – High of 25C/ Low of 14C, sunny and light winds
- August 26 – High of 24C/ Low of 14C, sunny intervals and gentle breeze
- August 27 – High of 22C/ Low of 13C, sunny intervals and gentle breeze
- August 28 – High of 20C/ Low of 13C, light rain showers and gentle breeze
- August 29 – High of 20C/ Low of 12C, light rain showers and gentle breeze
- August 30 – High of 19C/ Low of 12C, thundery showers and gentle breeze
- August 31 – High of 19C/ Low of 11C, thundery showers and gentle breeze
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