UK braced for fourth heatwave of the summer with temperatures set to hit 35C next week
Forecasters have warned that Britain will experience its fourth heatwave this summer, with temperatures rising to 35°C.
Hot, dry weather is expected to return to much of England and east Wales after long-awaited rainfall eased across northern and north-western England this weekend.
According to the report, as temperatures increase next week, Mercury may rise above 35 degrees in some regions. BBC Weather.
This follows a summer of scorching temperatures; Records were broken in June when a sweltering 37.7 degrees was recorded at Strumpshaw Hill, Lingwood.
When temperatures exceed thresholds in the region for three consecutive days, hot weather is classified as a heat wave.
The year 2026 has brought three heat waves so far; Thirdly, last week ended with the arrival of colder weather in most regions, with maximum temperatures dropping substantially to 20-24C.
But the situation continues in some places, such as Usk, Monmouthshire and Exeter Airport, Devon, where temperatures have exceeded heatwave thresholds for 19 consecutive days.
More than 20 million Britons are now under a hose ban as water companies restrict use following extremely dry, hot weather.
Although rain and showers are expected in the north and north-west this weekend, this is likely to be just a temporary respite, with high pressure once again building over southern England.
Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Suri said: “After a long stretch of hot, dry and calm weather, some will see a temporary change as weather fronts move south-eastwards across the UK this weekend.
“While some areas, especially the north and west, may experience rain and showers, many places are likely to receive relatively little rainfall.
“Dry conditions are expected to remain the dominant feature across much of southern England, with temperatures recovering quickly over the next week and the potential for very hot or locally hot weather to return.”
Temperatures will peak around 25-32C in England and Wales for much of next week, with 33C forecast for London on Wednesday.
According to BBC Weather, East Wales and much of England could easily see temperatures between 30-35C; The highest temperatures will be likely across central and eastern England on Tuesday before spreading north and westwards.
Scotland and Northern Ireland will remain cooler, with temperatures generally in the upper teens or low to mid-twenties.
News of the latest potential heatwave comes as more than 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as massive wildfires continue to ravage southwestern France and central Spain.
Experts called on the UK to prepare for the Mediterranean climate after record-breaking temperatures in June, warning that such extreme temperatures could occur “again and again”.
Hundreds of schools were forced to close and three NHS trusts declared critical incidents as June temperature records were broken for three consecutive days.
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the independent National Heat Risk Commission (NHRC), said stifling temperatures were not a one-off, warning: “This is something we will see happen again and again.”
He said the heatwave should “absolutely” act as a “wake-up call” for Britain to upgrade its infrastructure to withstand higher temperatures, alongside work to tackle carbon emissions.
