Is summer over in the UK? Met Office issues final verdict as autumn approaches - Manchester Evening News

After the UK experienced its warmest summer on record, the Met Office has issued its verdict on the chance of warm weather returning as autumn creeps around the corner. The majority of schools are going back next week after the six-week summer holidays, which can only mean one thing - summer is out, and autumn is coming. And, along with autumn comes some cooler and wetter weather. The UK had four widespread heatwaves throughout summer 2025, making it overall the warmest summer on Met Office records. Summer 2025 surpassed the previous record set in 2018, when the average temperature was 15.76C, but this year, the average is running at around 16.13C. But now, the Met Office has forecast a "wet and windy" start to autumn, with "no sign" of a return to prolonged heat or dryness. The Met Office said: "There is no signal for a return to high pressure, another heatwave, or a prolonged dry spell in the near future." Over the next few days, low pressure is set to dominate the UK, bringing cooler conditions and plenty of rain to the country. The Met Office shared a deep dive into the changing weather patterns and explained: "As the week progresses, the low pressure remains to the northwest, continuing to pull in frontal systems and more organised bands of showers. "At times, these systems will bring persistent outbreaks of rain, especially later on Thursday into Friday. The meteorological term for what this low becomes is a 'flabby low', a less well-defined area of low pressure, with weaker winds and less distinct frontal systems. "It acts almost as a blocking low, repeatedly drawing in new weather systems from the Atlantic." The Met Office continued: "By the weekend, this pattern persists, with low pressure continuing to influence the weather, particularly in the south and southwest. "Forecast models show some variability regarding the exact impact of these systems, so it's important to keep an eye on the forecast as Saturday approaches. At present, the global model suggests an area of low pressure moving into the southwest, potentially bringing heavy rain and strong, gusty winds. "However, as always, the situation may evolve, so 'changeable' is the word that best describes the outlook." On top of that, the Met Office has warned of a "wetter than usual" start to autumn, explaining: "Western areas, in particular, are likely to see wetter-than-average weather, with frontal systems and showers continuing to move in from the Atlantic. "This pattern is expected to persist into the second week, with Atlantic mobility bringing more wet weather from the west." And for those who have noticed their surroundings already looking autumnal, with fallen brown leaves and berries already dying, the Met Office explained a phenomenon called "false autumn". They explained: "This phenomenon, sometimes called a 'false autumn', often occurs after a long, hot, dry summer. Drought conditions cause trees to enter a kind of survival mode, dropping their leaves early to preserve themselves for the rest of the year and beyond. "While the trees aren't dying, they're not thriving either, and the early leaf fall is a sign of the stress caused by the summer's extreme conditions." Meteorological summer officially comes to an end on August 31, with autumn kicking in on September 1.