The Met Office has identified three areas in the UK that could experience heatwave conditions this Sunday: the Midlands, East Anglia, and the southeast of England. This forecast comes as a north-south divide is expected to define the country's weather over the weekend.
North-South Weather Divide
According to the Met Office, an area of high pressure extending from the Azores will bring settled weather to southern parts of the UK, while northern and northwestern areas will see cloud, wind, and rain. Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of northern England could receive up to 75mm of rain by the end of the weekend.
The forecaster stated on Friday: "An area of high pressure extending from the Azores will become increasingly influential through the weekend. While this will bring settled weather to many southern parts of the UK, a westerly airflow around the northern edge of the high will continue to push weather fronts across Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland."
Sunday's Heatwave Potential
By Sunday, the contrast across the UK becomes even more pronounced. Widespread rain is expected across Scotland, with outbreaks also affecting parts of northern England, including the Pennines and Lake District, as well as Northern Ireland. Central and northwest Scotland are likely to experience a cloudy, windy, and wet start to the day, while western Scotland continues to see the most persistent rainfall.
Further south, conditions will be markedly different. Lighter winds, longer spells of sunshine, and generally dry weather will help temperatures rise higher than on Saturday. The Met Office added: "Across the Midlands, East Anglia and the south-east of England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high 20s. For some areas, these temperatures could be sufficient to meet local heatwave criteria."
Not a Repeat of June Heatwave
Despite the potential for heatwave conditions, the Met Office cautioned that this will not be a repeat of the late-June heatwave. The position of the high-pressure system means the UK will avoid the exceptionally hot continental air that fueled recent record-breaking temperatures across western Europe. As a result, temperatures are likely to remain in the high 20s or low 30s Celsius, rather than the mid to high 30s, and humidity levels should be noticeably lower.
