'Indian summer' forecast as African plume bring heat back to UK

After a chilly few days and nights, things will turn a bit warmer this weekend. And the mercury is set to continue to rise next week with Somerset seeing some sunny skies.

Friday got off to a cold and crisp start, with a widespread frost overnight seeing all four countries of the UK dropping below zero degrees Celsius and temperatures getting as low as -2.7C in Topcliffe n North Yorkshire.

But many areas will be fine and dry on Saturday. It will be a chilly start in the south, but we’ll start to see temperatures recover to near-average throughout the day.

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And as high pressure builds in the southern half of the UK, this will bring with it plenty of fine and settled weather with sunny spells. High pressure means plenty of fine and settled weather arriving next week, as temperatures in Somerset will rise back into the 20s as an ‘Indian Summer’ arrives.

Jason Kelly is a Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office and said: “The cold Arctic air we have been experiencing will be replaced with warmer westerlies over the weekend. High pressure will bring fine weather to the south, but there is an area of low pressure to the northwest, which will push some weather fronts across Scotland and Northern Ireland, bringing rain and thicker cloud. It will also be windy across Northern Scotland, especially on Saturday.”

On Sunday, that front moves southeast, bringing cloud and patchy rain to parts of the northern England and Wales and perhaps some heavier bursts on western hills. There will be clear and sunny spells either side of this front, dry in the south but with some showers in the north.

Expected temperatures will be into the high teens, perhaps even 21°C in parts of the county next Friday, as with a ridge of high pressure expected to be in charge, next week looks to be dry and warmer for many.

David Oliver is a Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office and explained: “In the wake of the front on Sunday, high pressure then builds, bringing fine and dry conditions to most parts of the UK for much of next week.

“If any rain develops it is expected to be confined to the extreme northwest of Scotland on Monday and Tuesday. There is a risk of some fog patches overnight and temperatures continue to increase, with many places a little above average by mid-week.”

Hints of the forecast suggest that the UK isn't quite finished with warm weather; hot weather maps are pinpointing the exact moment when a 248-mile long African plume could sweep across Britain. Brits can anticipate an Indian summer once they've weathered an unusually cool period.