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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Sam Dimmer

What forecasters say about claims 'Spanish plume' could lead to 3-month heatwave

The summer isn't too far away now and most people's thoughts will be drifting towards their holidays.

But what sort of weather can you expect here? BBQs every night, or BBQ rusting in the shed?

Some forecasters are saying we could be due a heatwave, courtesy of a 900-mile-wide gust of hot air. 

The Spanish plume could bring us three months of glorious sunshine, apparently.

But what does the Met Office say? They're not quite as confident.

Their long-range forecast says: "For May and May, June and July as a whole, above-average temperatures are more likely than below-average temperatures." 

Forecasters have suggested that 2019 could be the hottest year ever, with records already broken so far this year. 

What is a Spanish Plume?

Last year's glorious sunshine led to several warnings, and concerns that reservoir levels could drop significantly.

In the East Midlands most reservoirs have been topped up nicely, with the huge Ladybower reservoir in the Peak District 96.4% full. 

The two Charnwood reservoirs are 77.9% full too.

Overall Severn Trent's reservoirs are 92.4% full.

Long range forecasts should be taken with a pinch of salt, with the Met Office previously stating: "Long-range predictions are unlike weather forecasts for the next few days.

"The nature of our atmosphere means it is not possible to predict the weather on a particular day months to years ahead.  

"At this range we have to acknowledge that many outcomes remain possible, even though only one can eventually happen. 

"Over the course of a whole season, year or decade, however, factors in the global weather system may act to make some outcomes more likely than others.

"It is because of this we can make a prediction , but we still need to show that a spread of outcomes is possible."

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