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When the Met Office says scorching weather could return to the UK

The UK experienced a record-breaking heatwave at the end of May, and the Met Office forecast suggests hotter weather could return soon

[An image depicting a heat map of a geographic region. The map utilizes a color gradient from yellow to dark red to represent varying temperatures, with darker shades indicating higher temperatures.]

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The UK was hit with a period of hot weather in late May and more could be on the way

This year's weather has shattered records, with the UK witnessing its warmest spring since 1884 and the hottest May day during last week's scorching spell.

However, the Met Office has warned that it's premature to pack away your fans, as further heat is anticipated this month as summer approaches.

An early, record-breaking heatwave at the close of May meant the UK experienced its warmest spring.

Parts of the UK basked in six straight days exceeding 30C, offering a glimpse of what the summer months might hold.

Every spring month ranked amongst the warmest recorded, starting with a joint-tenth warmest March, followed by the seventh warmest April, and culminating in May as the joint-third warmest.

Scientists at the Met Office have indicated that these broken records demonstrate "the longer-term warming" of the planet, with "extreme conditions" occurring with greater frequency.

Dr Emily Carlisle, a Met Office scientist, commented: "This spring highlights both the natural variability of the UK's weather and the longer-term warming we are observing. While conditions varied through the season, all three months of meteorological spring recorded mean temperatures within the UK's top ten warmest on record," reports Wales Online.

"While we expect fluctuations from year to year, this spring shows some of the changes we're seeing in our weather patterns, with more extreme conditions becoming more frequent."

Alongside soaring temperatures, precipitation trends have shifted too, with spring rainfall dropping by 14% compared to the long-term meteorological average across the UK.

Researchers at the Met Office have also determined that surpassing the 32.8C May record is now approximately three times more probable in today's climate than it would have been in a natural environment unaffected by greenhouse gas emissions.

This week has brought a weather shift, with rain making a comeback across much of Wales following a yellow thunderstorm warning issued on Thursday, May 28.

Showers and extended periods of rain are anticipated to persist through the opening fortnight of June, with temperatures "likely to be near normal overall", according to the Met Office.

Nevertheless, the extended forecast spanning Tuesday, June 16, through to Tuesday, June 30, indicates that while "heavy showers and thunderstorms become more probable", the UK could also experience elevated temperatures and warmer conditions.

The forecast notes: "The start of the period is likely to be relatively settled, with high pressure in the vicinity of the UK bringing drier conditions to most parts of the UK.

"However some showers or spells of rain are still possible. Winds will mostly be light with temperatures probably above normal.

"Towards the end of June, low pressure may begin to have more of an influence, especially across the south where heavy showers and thunderstorms become more probable. It may also become hot in parts of the south."

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