Britain is bracing for its third heatwave of the year this week as forecasters warn it could last longer than the last one.
While this heatwave is not likely to be as extreme as the one in late June, which saw temperatures peak at 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, the Met Office indicated it is likely to be prolonged and reach up to 35C.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates said: “Unlike the May and June heatwaves, we are not expecting this heatwave to be record-breaking.
“Temperatures this week are not expected to reach the highs we witnessed last month, though parts of southern England in particular are likely to see several days in the low-30s Celsius, and a few places could reach 34 to 35C later this week.”
The peak of the heat appears to be on Thursday or Friday, and it is likely to be “a prolonged spell”, Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell added.
The threshold for a heatwave in the UK is when temperatures meet or exceed the daily maximum for the time of year for three consecutive days, which varies by county but is 27C in the South East and 28C in London.
The highest temperatures are expected across southern and eastern England, which could pass 30C.
In north-east England and eastern Scotland, the mid- to high-20s are possible. Areas on the western side of the UK, including Lancashire, the Lake District, western Scotland and Northern Ireland, will see temperatures in the low- to mid-20s.
Currently, many long-term forecasting models suggest the hot spell could persist into the middle of July.
It comes as yellow heat health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have been issued across the Midlands and southern England until 8pm on Saturday.
The UKHSA suggests health and social care services could be impacted, with a greater risk to life for vulnerable people, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
Risks include heat-related illness, an increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, and an increase in water‑related incidents, such as cold‑water shock and drowning.
The UKHSA’s new alert comes after two heatwaves this year, where the last saw the Met Office issue a rare red warning for extreme heat in parts of the country, and the UKHSA put red heat health alerts in place.
It was the first time since extreme heat warnings were established in 2021 that a red warning for extreme heat was issued for three consecutive days in the UK. Records dating back several decades, in some cases over a century, were challenged or exceeded during the alert.
Forecasters have said the weather event was caused by a “heat dome” which is now travelling eastwards across Europe. So far, more than 1,300 heat-related deaths have been recorded across the continent according to the World Health Organisation, with 1,000 of these in France.
Five-day Met Office weather forecast
Monday
Rain persists across northern and north-western Scotland, easing through the morning. Cloudy with patchy drizzle at first in Northern Ireland and northern England. Dry elsewhere with sunny spells and breezy conditions. Temperatures near normal in the North, very warm southward.
Monday night
Breezy in the North with occasional rain, heaviest in north-west Scotland. Low cloud and hill fog redevelop across southwest Britain and western areas. Elsewhere, fine and dry with clear spells.
Tuesday
Further rain or showers affect northern areas, though generally less heavy. Cloudy in Northern Ireland and northwest England with patchy drizzle. Elsewhere dry and sunny, feeling very warm to hot.
Wednesday to Friday
Cloudy and rain start to clear across the North with some outbreaks across western Scotland. Fine and dry elsewhere with plenty of sunny spells and staying hot in the South.
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