There’s little let-up on the warmth of recent weeks, with dry weather continuing for much of the south of the UK and a further notable heatwave developing this week, following on from provisionally the second warmest July on record for the UK.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly said: “Heat will gradually build this week, with temperatures reaching into the mid-30s Celsius in what will be a fairly widespread heatwave for England and Wales.

“The driver for this week’s heat is high pressure, this becoming dominant over the next day or so, bringing plenty of sunshine and allowing temperatures to build day-by-day. Southerly or southeasterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe, meaning we’re looking at further notable heat for many this week, likely peaking on Thursday.”

The main exception to the dominant warm and sunny conditions this week will be north and northwest of Scotland, and at times parts of Northern Ireland, which will continue to see the influence of showery rain from the west at times.

Staying safe in the heat

The UK Health Security Agency, which looks at health impacts in England, has issued Heat Health Alerts, with forecast temperatures likely to cause an increased demand on health and social care services.

There are many simple things you can do to keep yourself safe in the heat:  

  • Keep out of the sun and avoid any exercise between 11am-3pm when the sun is the strongest.
  • Drink plenty of fluids, close your curtains in rooms that face the sun.
  • If you are going out, take water with you, keep in the shade, wear sunscreen, wear a wide brimmed hat.

You can find water safety advice on our website and in the Met Office app, which now features a dedicated beach forecast with tide times, wave heights and sea-surface temperatures, as well as guidance on UV and pollen levels. 

Find more hot weather advice as part of WeatherReady.

With high temperatures and dry conditions continuing for many, wildfire continues to be a risk for some in the coming week. Find out more on reducing the risk of wildfires from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. 

When will the heat ease?

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster David Oliver said: “While Thursday will be the peak of the heat this week, some warmth will remain in the south and southeast on Friday, before easing more widely on Saturday as cooler air spreads south from the northwest.”

High pressure is likely to retain some influence over the weather in the south of the UK later in the weekend but may begin to weaken into the start of next week. Details are uncertain, but this may allow showers or some longer spells of rain to spread across parts of the UK for a time.

Heatwave on the way