As the Azores High extends over the UK throughout this weekend, there will be little change to the weather which will allow temperatures to increase day on day. This will also lead to prolonged sunshine for much of the UK, away from the far northwest where it’ll be cooler and cloudier.  

The highest temperatures are expected in southern and central England and Wales, although temperatures across the vast majority of the UK will be above average through this week and into early next week.  

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Oliver said: “We’re at the start of a stretch of warm weather for much of England and Wales, that could last for much of next week. In the short term, many can expect temperatures in the mid to high 20s Celsius over the weekend, and then in the low 30s Celsius during the start of next week. Much of next week will remain warm for the time of year as well as dry and sunny.” 

Heatwave criteria is likely to be met in some locations from the weekend and into early next week. Most likely areas for these thresholds to be met is the southwest England and south Wales, although other areas with higher thresholds could also reach heatwave thresholds early next week. For an official Met Office heatwave, specific thresholds, based on the region, must be met for three days running.  

A Level 2 Heat Health Alert has been issued for southern and eastern areas.  

Sam Hughes, National Water Safety Partner at the RNLI said: “It is great to hear that the sun is on its way but we want to remind everyone to stay safe at the coast. If you are planning on going to the beach we would encourage you to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.” 

“If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live: lean back, use your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 for the Coastguard.” 

Further ahead

The warm spell will likely continue through much of next week and the following weekend, especially across southern areas. Looking this far ahead always brings some uncertainty and so the exact temperatures are yet to be determined. However, there is potential for temperatures to climb higher than over the coming days.  

Speaking on the latest Met Office 10 Day Trend Met Office Meteorologist and Presenter Alex Deakin said: “There's good model certainty that we’ll see a peak in temperatures in the early part of next week but there’s one possible scenario where temperatures get even higher late next week. A more likely scenario is that temperatures return to something similar to Monday and Tuesday and there’s also a chance temperatures could drop much closer to average.” 

Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Oliver added: “There are some runs, or solutions, that allow more extreme temperatures to develop into next weekend, which is something we will be monitoring closely over the coming days and adding more detail around into the new week.” 

Matthew Killick, Director of Crisis Response and Community Resilience, British Red Cross, said: “We’re all looking forward to enjoying some warm weather this summer, but it’s important to remember that heat can be very dangerous, especially for children, older people and those with underlying health conditions. 

“Climate change means we’re experiencing longer and more intense heatwaves, but a worrying number of people aren’t aware of the risks around hot weather. In England alone there were more than 2,500 excess deaths in the summer of 2020, and unfortunately it’s predicted that heat-related deaths in the UK could treble within 30 years.” 

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