East Anglia could see one of its warmest October days for years this week, with temperatures predicted to soar into the mid 20s, adding a new high to an already record-breaking year.
Wednesday is set to be the hottest day of October in Suffolk and north Essex, with temperatures expected to reach more than double the monthly average of around 10C.
If temperatures do reach the predicted 24C. it will beat last year’s warmest October day which saw temperatures reach 23.5C on October 16 in Kent.
However, the warm weather is not expected to last with strong winds and rain expected to blow in by Friday.
The prolonged Indian summer is the latest twist in a year which saw temperatures peak at 35C at the end of July.
But 2018 has also seen the Beast from the East batter our shores in early Spring, Storm Eleanor bring 60mph winds and a prolonged cold spell in March as the mercury dipped to -7C.
Dan Holley, a forecaster for Weatherquest, said: “We have seen high pressure dominate our climate this summer allowing warm systems from the continent to dominate our weather.
“We always get highs and lows in every month but this prolonged period of high pressure is why we have had a long hot summer.
The summery forecast comes shortly after a major report on climate change was released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stating a final call for dramatic action to tackle global warming.
Representatives of 195 governments met in South Korea to debate the report on limiting global temperatures to an 1.5C rise, which has been published worldwide today.
Ahead of its publication, Neil Thorns, director of advocacy at charity Cafod, said: “This report proves that keeping global temperatures to 1.5C is a necessity, not an ambition.
“Faced with such information we cannot leave poor communities standing on the front-line of this potential storm, we must act urgently.”
The report also prompts calls for dramatic and urgent steps to cut emissions to zero by 2050.
Despite the revolutionary Paris agreement, climate scientists expect the world’s temperature to raise by 1.5C by 2040, unless countries reduce their carbon emission by 45% by 2030.
While a 2C rise is seen as the threshold beyond which dangerous climate change would occur, vulnerable countries such as low-lying islands warn rises above 1.5C will threaten their survival.
Sea level rises would be 10cm lower with a 1.5C temperature rise compared to 2C by the end of the century.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for environment and public protection, said: “Suffolk County Council remains committed to Creating the Greenest County, an initiative set up to offer practical projects to benefit our environment, including tackling climate change.
“Current performance indicates that Suffolk’s carbon emissions are trending to a 32% reduction, against our target of 35% for 2025.
“This is a positive change as a result of great work by the people and businesses of Suffolk, but there is still more that we can all do.
“I would encourage people and businesses to look into some of these projects and get involved with us.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here