Temperatures could climb into the low 30s, although this heatwave is not expected to see temperatures quite as high as the one experienced at the end of June/early July.

It is going to be widely dry with sunny spells over the coming days, although Northern Ireland and northwest Scotland will see some cloud and light rain or patchy drizzle at times. It will be breezy near some North Sea coasts.

Whilst temperatures are expected to build day on day, becoming widely very warm or hot, they are unlikely to surpass those recorded at the start of the month. This heatwave is expected to be longer lived and extend north and west into a larger part of the UK than previously seen this summer.

Temperatures expected to peak over the weekend and ease early next week.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: "High pressure from the Atlantic will lead to a build in temperatures over the coming days, with heatwave criteria reached by the weekend. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C in some areas towards the end of the week. England may reach 30°C on Thursday, with up to 32°C possible in parts of England and Wales on Friday.

“Scotland is also expected to meet heatwave criteria over the weekend. This hot spell is forecast to last longer and cover a broader area than previous ones so far this summer, and affect areas further north and west. For updates, do keep an eye on the Met Office forecast as the picture develops.

“In addition, pollen and UV levels will also be very high in some areas.”

When will the heat end?

There are signs that less hot, or fresher, conditions may arrive from the west early next week, but exactly how quickly this transfers eastward is uncertain. It’s certainly possible that hot conditions may persist for a while longer, especially towards central, southern and eastern areas.

What are the heatwave criteria?

In the UK, a heatwave is officially defined when a location records at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. This threshold varies by county, reflecting the diverse climate across the UK. 

Find out more about defining a heatwave here.

A heatwave in the water too

Seas to the south of the UK are currently experiencing a significant marine heatwave, with the conditions expected to persist and intensify over the coming week with temperatures as high as 20C in some places. However, temperatures around the coasts of Northern Ireland and northern Britain remain chilly.

Keep up to date with weather warnings, and you can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.  

SUnny beach scene