'The UK is about to be hit by a 'Spanish plume' bringing in a heatwave lasting up to three months'.
This headline has been reported by multiple news agencies, predicting that Brits will be soaking up the sunshine this summer.
But unfortunately those dreaming of bright and warm days will be disappointed to hear this may not be the case.
The ECHO spoke to weather experts at the Met Office, who have clarified these claims.
Colder weather is likely to spread from the north to most, if not all of the UK later this week, lasting into the start of the Bank Holiday weekend .
A spokesperson said: "A few days ago, there was a good deal of uncertainty in the forecast, with most models suggesting a change to much warmer conditions by this weekend (perhaps including a so-called “Spanish Plume”).
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"However, the latest forecast shows increased confidence of winds from a northerly direction arriving in the UK from Friday, meaning that colder weather and lower than average temperatures are more likely for the first part of the weekend at least."
Over the weekend, most of the UK will be treated to dry weather and it’ll begin to feel warm in the light winds and sunshine.
But, the Met Office warn that the nights will feel colder with frosts in many rural areas and the possibility of some snow showers in the far north by Friday.
Regarding the three month heatwave, the Met Office said: "Some of the articles seem to reference the Met Office three month Outlook.
"This does show an increased chance of the UK seeing higher than average temperatures for the May-June-July period, however this does not translate to a ‘three-month heatwave’.
"This Outlook is produced for contingency planners who make risk-based decisions for longer timescales. These users are aware of the complexities and limitations of this type of forecast and will include those factors in their decision-making process."
Instead the three-month outlook provides an overall average for the UK as a whole.
However, there can be regional variations in temperature and precipitation.
For example, average precipitation for the UK as a whole can result from below average rainfall for the North West and above average for the southeast.
