Temperatures to be cooler in third UK heatwave – but it could last longer this time
Britain is bracing for its third heatwave of the year this week as forecasters warn it could last longer than the last.
Although this heatwave is unlikely to be as extreme as at the end of June, when temperatures peaked at 37.7°C in Lingwood, Norfolk, the Met Office has warned it will last even longer.
Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: “The peak temperature in the South East looks set to be 34C on Thursday or Friday.
“Compared to the heatwave we saw in June, this heatwave will not be as hot and humid, but will be a prolonged period of hot weather lasting about a week.”
But this heatwave is unlikely to exceed the record temperatures recorded in June, according to the national forecaster.
The threshold for a heatwave in the UK is when temperatures reach or exceed the daily maximum for three consecutive days at a particular time of year; This varies by county but is 27°C in the South East and 28°C in London.
Highest temperatures are expected to exceed 30 degrees in southern and eastern England.
Mid to upper 20s are possible in north-east England and eastern Scotland. Areas of the west coast of the UK, including Lancashire, the Lake District, western Scotland and Northern Ireland, will see temperatures in the low to mid-20s.
Many long-range forecast models currently suggest that the warm weather could continue into mid-July.
It comes after the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) issued yellow heat health warnings in the Midlands and southern England until 8pm on Saturday.
UKHSA suggests that health and social care services may be affected, increasing the risk to life of vulnerable people, especially the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
Risks include heat-related illnesses, increased potential for indoor environments to become too hot, and an increase in water-related events such as cold water shock and drowning.
The UKHSA’s new warning comes after two heatwaves this year; The latest saw the Met Office issue a rare red alert for extreme heat in parts of the country and the UKHSA introduce red heat health warnings.
A red warning for extreme heat has been issued for three days for the first time since 2021, when extreme heat warnings were received in the UK. During the alert, records dating back decades and, in some cases, up to a century were challenged or exceeded.
Forecasters said the weather event was caused by a “heat dome” currently moving eastward across Europe. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,300 heat-related deaths have been recorded across the continent so far, with 1,000 of them in France.
Met Office’s five-day weather forecast
Monday
Rain continues across northern and north-western Scotland, easing by the morning. Cloudy and occasionally drizzling in Northern Ireland and Northern England. Dry in sunny weather and other locations with breezy conditions. Temperatures are close to normal in the north and very hot towards the south.
monday night
Windy in the north, occasionally rainy, heaviest in northwest Scotland. Low clouds and overhead fog are forming again across south-west and western Britain. Elsewhere there are distinct spells, thin and dry.
Tuesday
More rain or showers are affecting northern areas, although generally less intense. Cloudy with some drizzle in Northern Ireland and northwest England. Other places are dry and sunny, very hot to very hot.
Wednesday to Friday
It’s cloudy and starting to rain in the north and there are some outbreaks in western Scotland. Elsewhere it’s thin and dry, with lots of sunshine, and it stays warm in the South.
