The Met Office has warned that temperatures in London could reach a sweltering 36C next week, as the UK braces for its sixth heatwave of the year. Forecasters predict extremely warm conditions across East Anglia and South East England by Thursday, with the hottest day expected to bring scorching heat to the capital and surrounding areas.
Weekend warm-up and daily rise
This weekend will see thermometers climb into the low 30Cs on Sunday afternoon, kicking off the hot spell. Monday is expected to see a brief dip to highs of 27C to 29C, before temperatures then rise day by day. Highs of up to 30C are likely across parts of England on Tuesday, increasing to 32C to 34C on Wednesday. The peak is forecast for Thursday, where 36C could be seen in London and nearby regions.
"Temperatures will climb through the weekend and, more significantly, through much of next week," said Deputy Chief Forecaster Mike Silverstone. "After a brief dip on Monday, high pressure will move across the UK before settling to the east, allowing a southerly flow to develop."
Widespread heatwave across England and Wales
A fairly widespread heatwave is likely across large parts of England and Wales, with hot conditions developing in places. The heat is expected to peak for much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday, with up to 34C possible in parts of central and southern England and South East Wales.
"East Anglia and South East England, however, could see temperatures even higher on Thursday. Humidity levels are also expected to increase through the week, which may make conditions feel more uncomfortable, particularly overnight," Silverstone added.
Health alert issued
The UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow heat health alert for parts of England, highlighting the potentially fatal impact of hot weather. The alert came into force at 9am this morning and covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber until 9pm on Tuesday.
The alert warns that high temperatures may have a significant impact on health and social care services in the affected areas, with a possible rise in deaths among those over 65 or with pre-existing health conditions. This summer has already seen two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June, which led to more than 2,800 excess deaths, and two more in July, fuelling drought and wildfires.
Driest July on record
Last month was the driest July for England and Wales since records began in 1836, according to provisional figures from the Met Office. London has been hit hard by the lack of rain, with worrying photos showing barren green spaces across the city. Iconic locations such as Hyde Park and Primrose Hill, once lush with grass, are now a sea of brown as the intense heat continues to scorch the ground.
