According to the Met Office, London could see maximum temperatures of 32C by Tuesday, with temperatures in other parts of the country four to five degrees above average.
Sunday 28 July 2024 18:01, United Kingdom
The UK could experience its hottest day of the year so far as high temperatures lead to a possible official heatwave over the coming days, forecasters say.
Much of the country enjoyed fine, dry conditions over the weekend, with many enjoying the elusive summer sunshine or heading to beaches and rivers to cool off.
London Temperatures could reach 32C by Tuesday, while other parts of the country will see temperatures four or five degrees warmer than average for this time in July, the Met Office said.
The hottest day of the year so far was on 19 July, with a maximum temperature of 31.9°C recorded in St James’s Park, central London.
A wave of high pressure across the country and warm air rising from the south are creating dry, beautiful and sunny conditions and pushing temperatures up.
Simon Partridge, Met Office forecaster, said: “It’s certainly possible that this could become a full-blown official heatwave because in the periods you’ve had before it hasn’t really met all the criteria.
“If there isn’t, it’s very close, and if you’re outside and a member of the public, you’re going to feel like a heat wave anyway, because overnight things are going to get a little bit more humid and muggy on a day-to-day basis.”
According to the Met Office, the threshold for a heatwave is reached when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value.
The temperature is 25°C across most of the UK, but it reaches 28°C in and around London, where temperatures are generally higher.
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Temperatures are expected to reach 27°C in some local areas on Sunday, before highs of 29°C on Monday and 32°C on Tuesday, both in the south-east of England.
According to the forecaster, many parts of the country will experience temperatures four to five degrees above average for this period of July.
Is the UK climate getting warmer?
Only areas in the far northwest of Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland will see cloud and possibly rain on Monday and Tuesday.
But the summer period could end abruptly on Wednesday with heavy rain and thunderstorms expected, although uncertainty remains over whether this will only occur in southern England or also in other parts of the UK.
Despite the sudden showers, temperatures are expected to remain high until the first week of August.
Mr Partridge said: “Usually when these storms come through everything is a lot cooler and fresher, but although it will be a bit cooler towards the end of the week it will still be about where we should be, maybe a degree or two warmer.
“So there’s a bit of summer in the pipeline.”
