The Met Office has issued its verdict on another potential heatwave, with hotter conditions expected next week, but officials say the upcoming warm spell will differ significantly from the record-breaking heat in June.
After last week's temperatures peaked at 37.7C — the hottest June day in UK history, measured at Lingwood in Norfolk on Friday June 26 — conditions quickly returned to seasonal norms. However, temperatures could soar into the 30s again within days.
Key Differences: Less Humidity and Lower Extremes
According to the Met Office, the upcoming warmth will not reach the record-breaking levels of the previous heatwave and will feature lower humidity. The key difference lies in the source of the air: high pressure positioned further west will allow westerly winds to influence conditions, keeping temperatures below June's extremes and reducing humidity.
Tony Wisson, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “Toward the weekend, high pressure will continue to build in across most of the UK as it extends from the Azores. This will lead to more settled, warm or very warm conditions for many, especially across England and Wales, though some rain may still affect the far north.”
Temperature Forecast: High 20s to Low 30s
Wisson added: “The forecast for this weekend suggests that temperatures could approach high 20s across parts of England, perhaps 30C in parts of the southeast, with values of mid to high 20C in Wales. Although a return to heatwave conditions is looking increasingly likely for some areas, the likelihood of such extreme high temperatures or high levels of humidity as last week is currently low.”
Current Met Office temperature maps show 27C forecast across southern England on Sunday afternoon, with temperatures rising to 29C on Monday and Tuesday. Warm weather could make its way from the southeast further north on Wednesday and Thursday.
Health Alerts Issued Despite Lower Humidity
Despite the more bearable conditions, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued new yellow heat health alerts for large parts of England. The alerts are in place from 12pm on Saturday, July 4, until 5pm on Wednesday, July 8, covering the East Midlands, South East, South West, east of England and London.
The UKHSA warned that the alerts indicate a “greater risk to life for vulnerable people” and could impact health and social care services. There is also an increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, with the possibility of water-related incidents increasing.
Context: June's Record-Breaking Heatwave
Last week's heatwave saw temperatures peak at 37.7C, triggering rare amber and red heat health alerts. The Met Office said these alerts indicated a risk to life for even the healthy population. Schools across England closed early, and hospitals declared critical incidents as extreme conditions caused machines and IT to fail.
Scientists noted that this level of heat would not have been possible half a century ago, attributing the increase to human-induced climate change resulting in more severe and regular periods of extreme temperatures.
