Bolton is set for warm temperatures this weekend amid rumours a ‘Saharan plume’ could hit the UK.

Reports from news outlets earlier this week suggested temperatures could reach up to 35°C towards the end of the month due to an expected ‘Saharan plume’.

Sarahan plumes often push dust from the African region to further afield, including the UK – with motorists often finding it on their cars.

The phenomenon last happened in the UK in January, and occurs when big dust storms coincide with southerly UK wind patterns.

However, when asked by The Bolton News, the Met Office said there is nothing unusual to be expected - with a little bit of the Saharan plume detected in Spain and Portugal yesterday (Friday, May 17), expected to head towards Italy this weekend.

The agency said it is 'not expecting a significant amount of dust across the UK'.

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According to the weather agency, this weekend temperatures are set to reach 21°C in Bolton on Saturday and Sunday, with sunny intervals changing to light showers by the early evening on Saturday, and sunshine all day on Sunday.

Temperatures are set to dip slightly in the following week, with highs of 19°C on Monday and Tuesday, going down to 17°C highs on Wednesday and Thursday.

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Later in the month, the Met Office’s long-range forecast says there will be ‘a lot of uncertainty’ between May 21 to May 30, with the northwest set to experience low pressure, suggesting a ‘climatological split in conditions’ between the south and the north.

The forecast says things will remain ‘fairly unsettled across much of the UK’, with rain and thunderstorms in places.

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.