London will bask in up to nine days of uninterrupted sunshine next week, as warmer temperatures are forecast to return to the capital.
Blistering heatwaves that blessed the city with highs of 30C (86F) and above this summer have faded over the last week, with heavy rain bringing some of the wettest conditions of the season so far.
The jet stream has dipped southwards, sending areas of low pressure towards Britain’s shores and generating enough rain to produce flash flooding in some areas of the country.
The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning from 10am to 9pm on Thursday, sparking fears of “torrential downpours” and travel disruption across the South East.
The warnings cover London, Kent and Brighton, as well as Oxfordshire, Bristol, Portsmouth and Southampton.
However, an area of high pressure extending from the Azores archipelago could bring the return of the warm front next week.
Meteorologists predict that London — which will experience highs of 23C (73F) on Tuesday — will be as hot as Tenerife.
Temperatures in the capital are set to peak from Thursday onwards as the Mercury teeters in the mid to high 20s.
The Met Office’s long-term forecast reads: “As we move towards mid-month, there is an increased chance of high pressure becoming more dominant, leading to drier, warmer and more settled conditions becoming more widespread.”
Looking ahead towards the end of summer, the forecaster added: "High pressure, and therefore more settled conditions overall, appears most likely for the second half of August.
"There may still be some rain and cloud clipping the west or northwest at times. For most, dry weather is likely to continue, although short periods of showers and thunderstorms cannot be ruled out.”
However, any peaks are unlikely to exceed the highest temperature of the year so far was 35.8C (96.4F), recorded on July 1 in Faversham, Kent.
