Warm weather expected this weekend – but make the most of it as Hurricane Ophelia is on the way
An unexpected heatwave will hit the Black Country and Staffordshire this weekend – much to the delight of outdoor attractions.
While the month of October often means heading to the shops to fork out money on winter clothes, the shorts and t-shirts should not be abandoned to the bottom of the drawers yet. Hot air coming from southern Spain will lead to temperatures of up to 19C (66F) tomorrow, and 21C (70F) on Sunday.
The pleasant weather, however, is expected be over on Monday when the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia hit the coast.
It could mean heavy downpours and winds reaching speeds of 70mph.
But for now, outdoor attractions in the region are looking forward to the good weather over the weekend, hoping it will bring in more visitors. Essington Fruit Farm is running a pick your own pumpkin event this weekend.
There will be tractor and trailer rides. It is ahead of the farm’s pumpkin festival on October 22.
Owner Will Simkin said: “No-one wants to pick pumpkins in the cold and wet.
“The better the weather the more enjoyment for the people coming to visit us.
“It is always important for us and we look ahead at the weather forecasts.” The farm hopes to attract around 5,000 people this weekend.
The arrival of Hurricane Ophelia is on Monday, and will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, which hit southern England overnight on October 15.
The storm caused damage estimated at £1 billion and claimed 18 lives.
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkhill said: “Ophelia became a hurricane overnight and the forecast track takes it eastwards towards Iberia for the weekend.
“After that, indications are that by that point it will then have weakened and be no longer a hurricane or tropical storm, it will be extratropical. But then it will continue its way towards the British Isles, probably reaching us very early next week.”
