Temperatures are set to soar this week with parts of the country expected to reach the mid-30s. The Met Office says that warming is building in the coming days, and much of central and southern England is likely to reach heatwave criteria.
The weather service warned: “A combination of high pressure and a southerly airflow will see temperatures rise for much of England and Wales in the first half of the week, with temperatures reaching in excess of 30°C for some on Monday and likely peaking towards the mid-30s in London on Tuesday.”
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree said: “Warmth is the focus in the forecast in the first half of this week, with temperatures likely to peak on Tuesday around the mid-30s, but remaining above average in the second half of the week, particularly further to the southeast.
“The exception to the widely warm conditions will be northwest Scotland on Monday, where showers will be more frequent. Warmth will develop there from Tuesday with temperatures peaking in the mid to high 20s.”
For many areas in southern and central England, the Met Office heatwave criteria, which stipulate that a specific threshold must be exceeded for three consecutive days, will likely be reached by Wednesday. The Met Office adds that regions are likely to experience warm nights alongside the warm days, and there’s a possibility of tropical nights in a few areas, which occurs when the temperature does not drop below 20°C overnight.
Tom said there is a chance of thundery rain during the week. He explained: “Outbreaks of rain, some of which could be thundery, are possible in southern and western areas for a time on Monday evening spreading north and east through the night, though this will be fairly hit-and-miss and for many the weather will be a dry and warm day.
“While there’s a fair degree of uncertainty at this range, the main signal for more frequent thundery showers arrives from the south late on Wednesday and into Thursday. The risk of showers spreads north and west on Thursday, potentially bringing some fairly wet weather to Scotland, northwest England and parts of Wales through the day.”
It’s likely the UK will then see predominantly dry conditions next weekend, though there could still be isolated thunderstorms, most likely in the south.
However according to WX Charts there are several other areas likely to miss out on the heatwave. These include Cumbria, Cumberland, Durham, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Essex and Berkshire.
The NHS website offers guidance for staying safe during hot weather. It warns that more people than usual get seriously ill or die during heatwaves, with older people, those who live alone, and people with serious and long-term illness among those most at risk.
The NHS advises: “Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
“Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
“Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.”
