The area of high pressure which has brought fine conditions across the UK over the last few days is forecast to extend out toward the end of the month.

Media speculation has concentrated on a plume of intense heat coming to the UK from southern Europe or even North Africa. This isn’t the case. With high pressure conditions settling in for the coming week, the warmth we will experience will be home grown as clear skies will allow more of the May sunshine to reach ground level, gradually raising temperatures to expected highs of 25°C for a day or two later this week.

Neil Armstong is a Met Office Chief Forecaster. He said: “If you have heard media hyperbole that a heatwave driven by an African plume will bring intense heat to the UK in the next few days you are going to be disappointed – this isn’t true. However, if you are looking forward to a spell of largely fine, sunny and warm conditions across the majority of the UK, then you are going to be in luck.”

This week’s weather

High pressure will continue to dominate the UK weather through this week and the current signal is for this to continue through next week too. This means lots of settled weather for many, with dry sunny conditions. There will be spells of cloud and light rain at times in the north west as weak fronts move in but they will quickly dissolve.

Temperatures will gradually rise through the week, with an expected high of 24°C, possibly 25°C, by Thursday. These temperature highs are expected to be in parts of East Wales, West Midlands and South West England. An onshore breeze will keep temperatures slightly lower in the south east of England, where we usually see the highest temperatures.