Darlington will have to grapple with high temperatures this week - with the thermometer set to reach highs of 26C. 

Forecasters are predicting a “last dose of summer”, with warm spells reaching as high as 32C on Wednesday and Thursday in central and southern England.

In Darlington, temperatures are expected to reach 25C today (September 5).

The Met Office has predicted the town will remain hot all week, with temperatures hitting 26C on Wednesday, and 24C on Thursday and Friday.

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The weekend is set to continue the trend, with Saturday coming in at 24C and Sunday forecast to be 23C.

The change in weather is due to a flow of warm air between a high-pressure area in continental Europe and low-pressure in the Atlantic.

The unusually warm spell in Darlington looks like it will begin to wane from Monday, when temperatures will fall to around 22C, with rain forecast.

The hot weather will be welcomed by many Britons underwhelmed by one of the wettest July months on record, followed by a mixed bag of sunshine and rain in August.

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But thousands of children will be back in uniform and returning to school this week as their six-week break comes to an end.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: “The last time we hit 30C in the UK was on July 7 so almost two months ago and 32C was all the way back to the end June.

“It is a late dose of summer but unfortunately not everyone might be able to make the most of it with school activities.

“Hopefully, for many, it will just brighten things up a bit and people won’t be as disappointed with 2023 overall.”

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Mr Vautrey warned of the health risks to the vulnerable, stressing the temperatures will be 10C above average for September.

He urged people to stay hydrated and use sunscreen, with UV levels being moderate to high.

“It does bring health risks to people who are vulnerable,” he added.