Met Office dismisses inappropriate reports that 'mini heat bomb' will hit UK

The agency said the term is 'inappropriate' - and that reported 18C conditions would not be out of the ordinary anyway.

Autumn colours at Jesmond Dene in Newcastle on Wednesday. The Met Office has played down claims of an impending 'mini heat bomb'. (PA)
Autumn colours at Jesmond Dene in Newcastle on Wednesday. The Met Office has played down claims of an impending 'mini heat bomb'. (PA)

The Met Office has dismissed reports suggesting a "heat bomb" is set to hit the UK next week.

Numerous websites have reported the mercury will reach 18C in the south-east of England early in the week, something described as a "mini heat bomb".

However, when approached by Yahoo News, the weather agency played down the reports, saying the term was "inappropriate" and adding: "There is no such thing as a ‘mini heat bomb’."

It added "16C is the possible high we’re forecasting for the second half of next week in southern England. Mild conditions are expected through the second half of next week with the possibility of temperatures into the mid to high teens, though this will depend on cloud cover, so the detail will become clearer as we get closer to the time."

Such conditions would not be out of the ordinary for the month of November, it added. Between 2014 and last year, the highest recorded temperatures have ranged between 16.7C and 22.4C.

St Michael's Tower on top of Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, on Friday. (PA)
St Michael's Tower on top of Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, on Friday. (PA)

The agency has become increasingly vocal against headlines predicting extreme weather events. “Talking about the weather is a national obsession in the UK,” it says in guidance, “making it a popular subject for the media.

“However, our weather is not always exciting or extreme, meaning misleading or exaggerated headlines can appear at times."

In September, the Met Office even directly called out The Mirror for “clickbait journalism” over a story about upcoming thunderstorms.

It posted a video on TikTok that blasted the “utter rubbish” warning urging people to “shut the curtains” during a rainy spell in England.

According to the Met Office's forecast covering 6 to 15 November, there will be "plenty of dry and settled weather for most", with rain "more likely to affect areas further north".

It added temperatures will probably be "close to or warmer than normal overall, although some cold nights are possible at times".

From 15 to 29 November, the agency said there will be a shift towards unsettled conditions, meaning a higher chance of rain and wind, especially in the south.

Again, temperatures "will probably be close to average overall, although some colder interludes are possible".