Karmactive Staff
Pack sunscreen for the end of the month. The UK is set for a late burst of summer-like heat before autumn fully arrives.
The Met Office is forecasting temperatures up to 29°C in parts of the UK between September 28 and 30, an unusually high reading for this point in the calendar year that puts affected areas well above their seasonal average. The warm spell is expected to peak across those days before conditions shift, with temperatures returning toward seasonal norms afterward.
The 29°C forecast applies to southern and central England, where the warm air mass is strongest. Locations in the forecast zone include Cambridge, Bedford, Peterborough, and Northampton. Northern regions will see elevated temperatures relative to the norm but are unlikely to reach the same peaks — forecasts for areas around Sheffield, Lincoln, and Hull indicate potential mid-20s, while Scotland is expected to see highs broadly around 20°C.
Late September heat at this level is uncommon. The UK’s average September temperature sits considerably lower, and a reading near 29°C at this point in the calendar year falls outside the expected seasonal range. Climate scientists have linked an increase in the frequency and intensity of late-season warm spells to broader shifts in temperature patterns, though the Met Office has not formally attributed this specific event to any single cause.
The practical consequence for most people in England is a short window of summer-like conditions that arrives without the usual summer preparation. A warm late-September weekend is welcome, but it is followed by a return to seasonal temperatures, and forecasts for the period after the warm spell indicate cooler conditions returning.
The timing distinction matters for planning. The warm peak around September 28–30 is specific — conditions earlier and later in the same week are expected to be more typical for the season. A warm Monday does not mean a warm week.
The Met Office forecast is updated daily. For travel or event planning around the month-end period, check the most current forecast rather than relying on the week’s opening picture.
