Is summer set to bloom?

As Britain bakes in the hottest springtime weather for years, our very own weatherman David Biewlawski is predicting a fine summer ahead.

David, who has provided the weekly weather forecast for the Tameside Reporter and Glossop Chronicle for decades, makes his annual prediction for the summer at the end of each January.

The RHS NW in Bloom contest judge, from Stalybridge, said: “Lots of people ask for my predictions every year for the summer and also for Christmas, which I send to them.”

Sharing his summary, David has already called the weather for March, April and early May correctly.

“I said spring would start cold and wet and be possibly wintry, especially in early March, but that temperatures would rise. April would see average temperatures but May would see very warm conditions arriving.”

With this week seeing bright sunshine and temperatures soaring into the mid 20s and beyond, David is so far spot on. So what is in store for the summer months ahead?

Firstly, David warns the warm spell we’re enjoying now won’t last, with a change to wetter conditions in the third week of May, although it will be staying warm with the possibility of thundery conditions.

But while June will start off cool and wet, drier, warmer weather will return.

“Daytime temperatures will rise to above normal, although there may be some thundery conditions around the 18th lasting to the end of the month. But it will stay warm during any long sunny spells,” he says.

Hot, sunny weather is on the cards for July and August he adds.

“July will start dry and warm, followed by thundery conditions at the end of the first week. But then drier warmer and locally hot weather will persist until the 25th, although wetter, thundery weather will arrive at the end the month.

Meanwhile, August will start thundery, but will improve to become warmer and sunnier mid month, followed by a gradual change to a wetter and cooler spell around the 20th, the last week being unsettled.

“September will start dry and sunny with cooler nights,” he adds.

So, why the better summer this year?

David, who has been studying the weather for many decades and has trained as an environmental scientist says: “The main factors driving this summer are the high sun spot numbers, plus reference to my own temperature profiles which I began in 1986, which indicated a warmer summer. Sea surface temperatures also play a part.

“It should be noted that current science states that forecasting beyond 30 days is not possible, but I use my own scientific methods and extensive experience to test my own theories.”

Now that you’ve read it here first - you can put David’s theories to the test too and find out what the weather holds in the months ahead to see if he’s right.