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Energy ploughed into the atmosphere after weeks of hot weather is about to go bang this weekend with a spattering of lightning storms. However, downpours will run from parched ground as experts warn Britain is facing a growing drought crisis.
The Met Office said the first six months of this year have been the driest since 1976 prompting the Government’s National Drought Group to meet yesterday.
Temperatures will rocket again this weekend hitting highs of 30C-plus across southern England.
Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said: “We are looking at the possibility of another significant heat blast during the end of July and into August.
“Temperatures could rise back into the 30Cs, although it remains to be seen whether we will get anywhere close to the record temperatures of last week.
“Nevertheless, there are still some extensive periods of hot weather looking likely through the rest of the summer.”
Hot weather will fuel scattered thunderstorms through the end of the month, and again at the start of August, he added.
He said: “Towards the end of this month, and again into the start of August, there will be some widespread thundery downpours amid the heat.”
Fears of a looming drought crisis continue to escalate as rivers and reservoirs begin to deplete raising the spectre of hosepipe bans and water restrictions.
While no limits have yet been imposed, government officials may consider the move if dry weather persists.
Northern and western Britain, which have escaped the worst of the prolonged heat, will receive most of any rainfall through the coming days.
The Met Office’s Alex Deakin said: “There will be some heavy showers on Friday, but not a lot apart from that, and most of the showery rain will be across northern and western parts of the UK.
“There are signs of temperatures starting to rise, but nothing like temperatures we have just seen, but they could tick up to above average towards the back end of the week.”
Meteorologists warn forecasting models continue to predict little to no rain through the start of August.
After the risk of ‘hit and miss’ heavy showers at the weekend, Britain will continue to dessicate through the start of next month.
Netweather forecaster Nick Finnis said: “The threat of showers continues through the weekend, perhaps a few heavy ones in the west, but they’ll be hit and miss, with many places staying dry – particularly the east and southeast of England where it has been driest this summer.
“Looking ahead into the first half of August, one of the longer-range model forecasts…suggests a continuation of drier than normal conditions across large parts of the UK.
“There will likely be a continuation of the extension of the Azores high northeast across northwest Europe.”
Meteorologists, though, fear parts of the country will remain on drought alert through the final part of summer.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, and author of Weather Or Not? said: “The drought will persist in the southeast into early August, although some rain action is expected as we push on into the month.
“Thunderstorms will be few and far between, but with low pressure coming onto the scene towards the weekend, even the southeast may catch one as temperatures build.”
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