Second heatwave - will there be a second heatwave this summer? - Temperatures in Britain and Northern Ireland set to heat up to above average levels before the end of August

Temperatures in Britain and Northern Ireland look set to heat up again from mid-August onward, the Met Office predicts.
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"Temperatures are likely to be above average, with the potential for hotter weather later in the month with rainfall most likely below average," said the Met Office.

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"Above average temperatures continue to be indicated through the remainder of August, with possibly even very warm conditions at times in southern areas," reads the Met Office's UK long range weather forecast.

Summer weather in NI last month - Joel Mooney and Tyler Kelly pictured enjoying the water in Carrickfergus. (Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)Summer weather in NI last month - Joel Mooney and Tyler Kelly pictured enjoying the water in Carrickfergus. (Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)
Summer weather in NI last month - Joel Mooney and Tyler Kelly pictured enjoying the water in Carrickfergus. (Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press)
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Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey suggested that should warmer weather moving in from northern Africa and the Azores result in areas of higher pressure it could result in "some hotter spells".

"The start of the month is expected to remain changeable with temperatures most likely close to normal for the time of year or slightly below," she said.

"During the second half of the month there is a tentative signal for more settled conditions to develop with high pressure becoming slightly more likely."

She added: "If this does occur we could see drier conditions, although there is still the risk of showers or thunderstorms at times, and temperatures could warm up from the middle of the month, giving an increasing chance some hotter spells could develop.

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"It is too early to say if these temperatures will reach heatwave thresholds."

The recent spell of warm weather here saw the record for the highest temperature in Northern Ireland broken three separate times within seven days.

The warmest temperature in Northern Ireland before it was broken in Ballywatticock, Co. Down on July 18 was 30.8°C first recorded on June 30, 1976 and again on July 12, 1983.

Ballywatticock's record breaking 31.2°C was short-lived when a mere four days later on July 22 a new record breaking temperature of 31.3°C was set in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone.

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Castlederg's time in the spotlight was even shorter as 24 hours later 31.4°C was recorded in Armagh.

However, Armagh's reading did not pass a stringent verification process which means the record returned to Castlederg, where it remains.

The official highest ever temperature to be recorded on the island of Ireland was 33.3°C at Kilkenny Castle on June 26, 1887.

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