London could be set for another heatwave within days, according to the latest Met Office forecast, with temperatures expected to reach 32C on Monday.
Some parts of the UK have already seen four heatwaves this summer, and London could be in line for another. In the capital, a heatwave means three or more consecutive days when temperatures hit 28C or higher. The current forecast for Saturday, August 1 predicts highs of 28C on Sunday, August 2, 32C on Monday, August 3, and 28C on Tuesday, August 4 – which would meet the threshold.
Yellow heat health alert
As temperatures soar again, London will be under a Met Office yellow heat health alert from Sunday.
It follows days of hot and humid weather. The Met Office said on Friday that England and Wales were on course for the driest July since records began, with the month characterised by an “exceptional combination of extreme heat, abundant sunshine and an almost complete absence of rainfall”.
Driest July on record
Provisional statistics show only 5.6mm of rainfall was recorded in England in July, less than half the previous record of 13.4mm set in 1911.
Aerial pictures have shown the parched landscape across London after weeks of hot, dry weather, and a number of wildfires have broken out.
Rain on the way?
The longer-term outlook suggests a change. The Met Office’s long-term forecast from August 6 to 15 states: “A generally changeable period looks likely and many places are likely to see some rain or showers at times, interspersed with drier and sunnier spells. Many areas will start with a few drier days, although there will be some showers in the north.”
However, it has been suggested that sufficient rainfall to reverse the drought conditions may not arrive until the autumn.
