Cold front set to bring fresher conditions later this week

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Respite from intense summer heat will continue across the UK this week as a cold front is expected to bring cooler temperatures by Friday.

A warm and humid start to the week will descend into fresher conditions as the front advances slowly across Northern Ireland and Scotland in the early hours of Wednesday, heading towards the East midweek.

The South and South East are set to enjoy the best of the warmer weather at the start of the week as the mercury hits the mid-20s, before dropping to the mid-teens later on this week.

By Thursday and Friday, temperatures will plunge to 16C in Glasgow, 15C in Belfast and around 18C in Bristol and London.

Bonnie Diamond, forecaster at the Met Office, said: "The start of the week is quite warm and humid in many parts of the country, particularly the South and South East.

"Northern Ireland and Scotland are fairly cloudy although there might be some sunny spells across Scotland.

"It will feel much fresher and cooler than it has been."

She added: "Over the weekend and possibly into the start of next week, we will be under the influence of this cooler, fresher westerly air mass."

Such conditions will continue on until the end of August.

But those looking to squeeze out the final dregs of summer shouldn't be left disappointed, as the heat is expected to pick up again as September begins.

Ms Diamond said: "It does look like the high pressure may return, some settled weather, some dry spells. In terms of temperatures, they will be warmer than average, especially in the South East.

"There is the potential of warmer-than-average temperatures coming back again, really from September onwards."

But that won't be before the upcoming cold front brings with it some showers on Wednesday and Thursday, which is expected to hit the North and West of the UK the hardest, particularly in Wales, western Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Some (rain) could be heavy in the North and West," Ms Diamond said.

That should clear eastwards by Thursday morning.

Upcoming conditions are a contrast to sweltering temperatures witnessed across the UK in recent weeks.

With an average of 16.1C, summer 2018 could beat that of 2006 to become the hottest on record, the Met Office said last week.

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