Parts of the UK are set to experience unusually warm temperatures, with some areas reaching up to 26C (79F) by the weekend. However, some parts of Scotland have been issued an amber weather warning for rain from 03:00 BST Saturday until 06:00 Sunday, which means there is a high risk of widespread disruption. A yellow “be aware” warning for heavy and persistent rain is also in place for almost all of mainland Scotland, as well as Skye and the Inner Hebrides. The Met Office has warned that parts of northern and central Scotland, including Glasgow, Perth, and Stirling could receive up to 180mm (7in) of rain, with the possibility of snow over the highest Scottish mountains.
Matt Taylor, a BBC weather forecaster, has highlighted the “stark contrasts” in the UK’s weather, stating that while it will feel like late summer in the south, it will be more like late autumn/early winter for many parts of Scotland. Temperatures in some areas could struggle to reach 10C for a few days. The period of heat for much of the UK is due to warm and humid air originating from north-west Africa and the Canaries, which has set many October records across Europe in recent days.
Over the weekend, a high of 26C is expected in south-east England on Saturday, and a temperature of 25C has only been reached or exceeded in three other years in the past quarter of a century – in 2018, 2011, and 2001. However, the all-time October record of 29.9C, set on 1 October 2011 in Gravesend, is unlikely to be reached.
The heavy rain expected in Scotland could lead to some flooding, with up to 150mm (5.9in) expected to fall over the hills. The Met Office has predicted widespread disruption for the west coast, parts of the central belt and the Highlands, including Glasgow, Stirling, and Fort William. It has warned of potential difficult driving conditions, flooding for homes and businesses, and danger to life from fast-flowing or deep floodwater.
Unseasonal warm weather is likely to become more common due to climate change, which is having an increasing impact on the whole of the UK. It played a significant role in pushing last year’s temperatures to record highs, and the Met Office believes that 2022’s record-breaking heat will be regarded as a cool year by the end of this century
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