Heatwave to last for weeks as temperatures climb to over 30C

Summer is finally here - hurrah! And it looks as if the good weather could last throughout July, and even into August.

Forecasters at The Weather Channel say that temperatures will continue to rise, and could reach 30C by the end of next week.

Leon Brown, forecaster at The Weather Channel, told AOL Travel: "It looks like we could expect a very dry July and well above normal temperatures. This may continue to August too, although tropical activity and the tracks that any hurricanes take over the Atlantic may change the pattern of northern Europe later in August."

He explains that we're getting better weather because the jet stream is a lot further north than it has been for the last six summers. In addition, the stronger polar vortex, which is the flow of winds at higher latitudes over the North Pole, is trapping colder air over the Poles, rather than enabling it to flow southwards. This means that the polar ice is not melting as rapidly as it has for the past five or six summers.

This weekend, it looks like Sunday will be a particularly hot day, although temperatures will rise again towards the end of next week.

Leon Brown says: "Temperatures may be up to 29-30C this Sunday, and could approach 30C later next weekend, too."

He adds: "In the middle of next week a weakening cold front moving down over the North Sea will lower temperatures a little on Wednesday and Thursday in the East and South East. From the end of next week and weekend, high pressure will build again, with more hot and sunny weather across the bulk of the UK."

In other words, it looks like it's time to fire up the barbecue!

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