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THE UK IS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A HOT SUMMER THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE MET OFFICE, WHICH IS WARNING OF AN INCREASED RISK OF HEATWAVES IN ITS NEW FORECAST 15:29, 01 Jun 2025Updated

15:30, 01 Jun 2025 The Met Office has forecast that the UK is twice as likely to have a hot summer this year. They also caution that there could be an increased risk of heatwaves now that

summer has officially arrived. This prediction comes after the country experienced its sunniest spring on record, with approximately 630 hours of sunshine recorded nationwide from 1 March to

27 May, making it 'the driest spring for over a century'. On Saturday, 31 May, temperatures soared to 8C above the average for this time of year, hinting at a potentially

blistering summer season. READ MORE: Birmingham gang member jailed as police say 'this should be a warning to drug dealers' The Met Office's three-month outlook suggests that

the chances of a hot summer are higher than usual, bringing an increased risk of heatwaves and heat-related impacts. Article continues below The forecast indicates that it is 2.3 times more

likely than normal for the UK to experience a hot meteorological summer, which starts today (June 1) and ends on August 31. During these months, the average temperatures across the UK range

from 10 to 17C, with the south east of England experiencing higher averages of 16 to 17C. The summers of 2018 and 2021-2023 were also predicted to be hot, with data showing it has been a

decade since the last time a summer was forecasted to be cool, in 2015. The Met Office's latest three-month outlook suggests that Brits can expect rainfall and wind speed to hover

around the average mark. The forecast doesn't provide day-to-day specifics but gives a broader view of potential temperature, rainfall, and wind trends over the coming quarter, reports

the Mirror. A spokesperson for the Met Office commented: "While the current three-month outlook shows an increased chance of a hot summer, the temperature signals for this summer are

similar to those for recent years and consistent with our warming climate. "The increased chance of hotter than average temperatures is not a guarantee of prolonged hot weather or

heatwaves, but it does mean that heatwave conditions could be reached at times." They added: "However, it's important to bear in mind that an increased chance of hot

conditions could also reflect a mix of hot and cool days, warm nights, or less extreme levels of warmth rather than continual heatwave conditions specifically." WHAT CONSTITUTES A

HEATWAVE? The term "heatwave" is bandied about more and more these days, yet it has a precise definition according to the Met Office. A heatwave is described as "an extended

period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity." Article continues below A heatwave in the UK is

officially declared when an area hits daily maximum temperatures that meet or exceed the heatwave temperature threshold for three consecutive days. The threshold varies by county, usually

between 25C and 28C. Wales and Scotland have to surpass 25C to be considered in a heatwave, while London and parts of the East Midlands have higher thresholds of 28C due to "differences

in climate".