Warm spell forecast for southern England

Parts of England could see temperatures climb to 28C in the coming days, according to weather maps based on the GFS model, as a short-lived warm spell is predicted for the south and east. The maps, produced by WXCharts, show a large area of southern and eastern England turning orange and red as temperatures rise from September 3, peaking around Monday, September 7.

The highest readings are concentrated around London, the Home Counties, Essex and East Anglia, with the hottest locations including London, Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea at 28C; Colchester, Cambridge, Canterbury, St Albans, Oxford and Chichester at 27C; and Winchester, Norwich, Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton and Peterborough at 26C, as reported by the Daily Express.

Northern England is shown mainly in the low 20s, while Scotland remains considerably cooler, with many areas in the mid-to-high teens.

Met Office outlook

The Met Office says temperatures are likely to remain near average overall during the early September period, but short-lived warm or very warm spells are possible, especially in the south. The long-range forecast for September 5 to September 14 reads: "An unsettled period is likely, with many places seeing showers or longer spells of rain at times."

Rain is expected to be most frequent across northern and western areas, while the south and east are more likely to see longer, drier spells. There is also the potential for strong and gusty winds, particularly in the northwest.

The Daily Mirror reports that at least 15 counties could see highs of 24C or more by Sunday, September 6, with the south and southeast likely to enjoy the highest readings. By 4pm that day, temperatures could hit 25C in London, Reading, Chelmsford, Worcester and Stratford-upon-Avon. Kent, Surrey and Cambridgeshire are expected to reach 24C, along with Bristol and Gloucester.

Coastal areas will also feel the warmth, with Brighton and Dover set for 22C and Plymouth potentially reaching 23C. In Wales, much of the country could see 20C or 21C. Further north, Derby could reach 22C and Liverpool 21C, while Manchester, Sheffield and Newcastle are forecast to reach 20C. Scotland will be noticeably cooler, with Edinburgh and Glasgow expected to reach around 17C and the Highlands hovering between 15C and 17C.

Context: drought and recent flooding

The warm spell follows a summer that saw 71% of England officially declared in drought after exceptionally dry weather and a succession of heatwaves. More recently, severe thunderstorms caused significant flooding in Birmingham, damaging dozens of properties near the Tame Valley Canal, as reported by the Daily Mirror.