A north-south split this weekend will bring warm sunshine to southern and eastern areas, while Scotland and Northern Ireland see cloudier, breezier conditions with rain at times, heaviest in northwest Scotland.
The weather this weekend will be characterised by a north/south split, with increasingly warm and sunny conditions developing across many southern and eastern areas, while parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland experience cloudier, breezier weather, with rain at times, heaviest for northwest Scotland.
The weekend is also likely to see the development of the UK's third heatwave of the year across southern areas. However, there are two important distinctions compared with the exceptional heat experienced at the end of June. Firstly, temperatures are not expected to reach the same extreme levels, and secondly, the heat will not be felt across the whole country.
High pressure building from the southwest
An area of high pressure extending from the Azores will become increasingly influential through the weekend. While this will bring settled weather to many southern parts of the UK, a westerly airflow around the northern edge of the high will continue to push weather fronts across Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland.
As a result, northern and north-western areas will continue to see periods of cloud, wind and rain, while much of southern England experiences largely dry conditions with some lengthy sunny spells.
Saturday: brightest and warmest in the south
Saturday begins with plenty of cloud across northern and western areas, accompanied by outbreaks of rain. These may extend as far south as north Wales, and northwest England at times, although amounts here are generally expected to be non-impactful.
The most persistent and heaviest rain will be focused across western Scotland, particularly the West Highlands, where rainfall will be heavy at times. Eastern Scotland is expected to fare better, benefiting from drier and brighter conditions thanks to a rain-shadow effect.
Further south, variable cloud will allow for spells of sunshine and a warm afternoon. Temperatures will widely reach the low to mid-20s, with highs of around 29°C possible in the south-east of England.
Although temperatures will be climbing, most locations are unlikely to meet official heatwave thresholds on Saturday. However, conditions will continue to warm as the weekend progresses.
After a week of respite from the heat, high pressure moves in this weekend, dominating many southern and central areas for the next 10 days.
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 1, 2026
Annie Shuttleworth has the details 👇 pic.twitter.com/Ssk673jLEY
Sunday: warmer for many, wetter in the north-west
By Sunday, the contrast across the UK becomes even more pronounced. Widespread rain is expected across Scotland, with outbreaks also affecting parts of Northern England, including the Pennines and Lake District, as well as Northern Ireland.
Central and north-west Scotland are likely to experience a cloudy, windy and wet start to the day, while western Scotland continues to see the most persistent rainfall. The region could accumulate in excess of 75mm of rain by the end of the weekend.
Further south, conditions will be markedly different. Lighter winds, longer spells of sunshine and generally dry weather will help temperatures rise a little higher than on Saturday. Across the Midlands, East Anglia and the south-east of England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high 20s. For some areas, these temperatures could be sufficient to meet local heatwave criteria.
READ MORE: Pollen forecast: Elevated levels across England and Wales
Looking into next week
High pressure is expected to become increasingly dominant as we move into next week. Once the remaining weather systems clear through early in the week, frontal systems should become confined mainly to the far north-west of Scotland, with much of the rest of the UK turning increasingly dry and bright.
Temperatures are expected to rise, with highs reaching the upper 20s and locally the low 30s across parts of the Midlands, East Anglia and south-east England.
However, despite the development of heatwave conditions in some areas, this will not be a repeat of the late-June heatwave. The position of the high-pressure system means the UK will avoid the exceptionally hot continental air that fuelled the recent record-breaking temperatures across western Europe. As a result, temperatures are likely to remain in the high 20s or low 30s rather than the mid to high 30s, and humidity levels should be noticeably lower.
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.
