Heat will build through the week. On Wednesday the highest temperatures values in the UK are expected to be around 27ºC. On Thursday this will rise to 29ºC and by Saturday increasing more locations will exceed heatwave values, with the highest temperatures expected to exceed 30ºC.

Matthew Lehnert is a Met Office Chief Meteorologist. He said: “An area of high pressure over southern England will build across a larger part of the UK through midweek. Ahead of this, wet and windy weather will affect the far northwest later today and into Tuesday morning. It will remain very warm across parts of the south and east.”

Tony Wisson is a Deputy Chief Meteorologist. He said: “The rising temperatures this week are a combination of several factors. Over the next few days, settled weather and warm sunshine will allow temperatures to rise day on day. Temperatures will then rise further towards the end of the week as winds turn more southerly and even warmer air over continental Europe will be drawn across the UK. We could very well see several places exceeding 30ºC, which will be the highest temperatures of the year so far.”

Will it be a heatwave?

Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location. Across much of the north and west of the UK this threshold is 25ºC, but across Greater London and the Home Counties the threshold is higher, at 28ºC. 

Tony Wisson added: “By the beginning of the weekend we could very well be meeting heatwave thresholds in places. While the warmest temperatures are likely across London and the east of England, by Saturday heatwave thresholds could be reached across much of the Midlands, low-lying areas bordering the Peak District and even parts of east Wales.”

How long will it last?

High pressure is expected to move away from the UK into early next week resulting in temperatures falling. However, there is uncertainty in how quickly this happens, and the peak temperatures experienced across the UK.

Tony Wisson added: “Temperatures are likely to peak in the low 30s Celsius this weekend before easing sometime early week. Some forecast models even allow temperatures to rise into the mid 30s of Celsius by Monday. While this is feasible, it is considered a lower-likelihood scenario.”

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