Met Office Names 31 Areas Facing 34C Heatwave on Saturday

The Met Office has declared that a "big change is on the way" following this week's scorching temperatures, with cooler, more unsettled conditions sweeping in from the Atlantic over the weekend for much of the UK. However, relief won't arrive simultaneously across the whole country, with temperatures in some parts of the UK facing an extended heatwave and still expected to exceed 30°C on Saturday. Forecasters warn that eastern England in particular looks set to hold onto the heat for longer than other regions.

Saturday's Temperature Divide

While the change is anticipated to reach "virtually all parts" of the UK by Sunday, Saturday is expected to see a more pronounced divide, with certain areas cooling down ahead of others. Met Office meteorologist Aiden McGivern explained on the forecaster's YouTube channel that conditions will shift as "low pressure systems in from the Atlantic, bring back a return to cooler weather, but also much more changeable weather through the weekend and into next week." He added: "As we go into Saturday, it's still a very warm start to the day across eastern and southeastern parts of the country. Feeling fresher further west."

Wind Direction Key

McGivern highlighted that wind direction will make the difference for many: "That breeze coming in from the southwest will certainly make it feel a little fresher in the north and west on Saturday compared with further east because actually in the east it is another hot day." Temperatures in the east could still be remarkably high for this time of year. The most recent forecast indicates that mercury levels will broadly surpass 30°C, with highs of up to 34°C in London and East Anglia.

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Sunday's Cooler Outlook

Despite the temperature dip, Sunday will still shape up to be a pleasant summer's day for most. "It will actually be a fine summer's day for many parts of England and Wales even if we've lost the heat and humidity," McGivern said. Temperatures are anticipated to fall to 27°C in the southeast, dropping to the high teens and low 20s across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England, Wales and the West of England. While many regions should feel considerably more bearable, McGivern warned that the warmth won't fade everywhere simultaneously, with "that heat clinging on for the longest in the east of England."