Is there going to be another heatwave in September? Met Office gives verdict

| Live News Reporter Published August 31, 2026 8:43pm Updated August 31, 2026 8:43pm Rain has returned to the UK after a ridiculously dry summer (Picture: Getty) Already upset that the rain has returned to the UK? Don’t fret – warm spells might be moving across the country again this month. The Met Office has released its long-range forecast for the month of September, predicting ‘brief warm or very warm spells’ in the beginning of the month. The possible warm weather comes after the UK saw a record-breaking summer with temperatures reaching well over 34C on multiple days. Before we see more warm and dry conditions again, heavy rain showers and gusty winds are expected to plague much of the south. From mid-September onwards, prediction of the weather is much less accurate. Rainy conditions have returned to much of the UK (Picture: Getty) The Met Office said: ‘As we head further into September, the distribution of rainfall becomes increasingly uncertain at this range. Settled or dry spells are still likely between weather systems. ‘Temperatures are likely to be around average overall, although some warm spells are possible, particularly in the south.’ WX Charts predicted that temperatures could reach 25C again by September 5 in southern England. ‘Intense’ thunderstorms and heavy rain across much of England and Wales could cause travel disruption this week, forecasters have warned. After five heat waves this summer, Brits were relieved when bands of heavy showers and thunderstorms began moving in last week. El Niño could bring heavier rain and storms to London this autumn (Picture: Shutterstock) The UK is also bracing for a slew of storms and rainfall this autumn and winter brought by the pesky El Nino phenomenon. El Nino happens every three to seven years when worldwide temperatures are pushed up by the weather system, which shifts ocean winds. The natural warming of sea temperatures is forecast to reach more than 3°C in the coming months, making this year’s weather front ‘the largest since the 19th century,’ according to the Met Office forecasters. Latest heatwave news and guidance ‘We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event,’ Professor Adam Scaife, Met Office’s head of long range forecasting said. ‘I have never seen an El Nino signal this intense in our forecasts.’ He added: ‘A typical El Nino leads to an equatorial Pacific sea-surface temperature rise of between one to 2°C, with 2°C being a really big event. ‘This implies that if the forecast is accurate – and other forecast systems show similar extreme values – then 2026 will far exceed our recent experience of El Nino and its worldwide climate influences.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Why you might notice cracks appearing in your home — especially in London Arrow MORE: The one question to ask a pet sitter before leaving your dog, according to a vet Arrow MORE: UK festivalgoers battered by torrential rain and storms as summer comes to soggy end News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.