Met Office names 8 hottest areas as 23C heat returns in September

Unsettled autumn weather will briefly make way for a mid-September heat boost as temperatures climb back up to 23C across parts of the UK. New weather maps from the Met Office show that by 4pm on Saturday (September 12), a warm plume will bring high temperatures across several regions. However, the late-summer warmth will not be uniform, as heavy downpours are set to strike parts of the west and north simultaneously. According to temperature charts, eight key locations across England and Wales are set to experience the peak of the heat, with the capital, London, experiencing the highest temperatures at 23C. Other key areas, including Norwich, Peterborough and Exeter, will enjoy 22C, while Lincoln, Birmingham, Swindon and Dover will see highs of 21C. In contrast, northern areas like Newcastle (18C) and Dumfries (17C) will see noticeably cooler conditions, with parts of Scotland hovering around 16C. While the southeast and midlands enjoy the warmest conditions, rainfall radar maps show a sharp division across the nation. Heavy showers with intensities of up to 4-8 mm/hour, are forecast to sweep across Northwest England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Areas including Kendal, Caernarfon, Dumfries and parts of the Irish Sea coast face significant rainfall at 4pm, while London and the South East remain dry and clear under the warmest air. In its outlook for Thursday through to Saturday (September 9 to 12), the Met Office website reads: "Wet and breezy weather arrives from the west on Thursday, though staying fine in the southeast. Rain clearing to leave sunshine and showers on Friday. Turning unsettled again on Sunday." Meanwhile, its long-range forecast for the period September 13 to September 22 reads: "Remaining changeable, with occasional rain or showers arriving from the North Atlantic, most frequent across northern and western parts of the UK, where some strong winds will also be possible at times. However, there will also be some reasonable dry and more settled periods, especially across southern areas. Later in the month, high pressure may become more dominant in the vicinity of the UK, perhaps bringing more widely settled conditions for a time, especially away from the far north. Temperatures for the period as a whole will probably be close to average overall, but there is scope for some rather warm days at times, along with occasional relatively cool nights." Regarding its long-range forecasting, the Met Office warns: "When looking at forecasts beyond five days into the future, the chaotic nature of the atmosphere begins to play a larger part - small events currently over the Atlantic can have potentially significant impacts on our weather in the UK and Ireland in several days' time".