The United Kingdom is set to experience another surge in temperatures, with weather models indicating that nine counties could see mercury levels of 35 degrees Celsius or higher later this month. This comes after the country's third heatwave of the year, which is expected to cool slightly over the weekend.
Current Forecast and Weekend Cooldown
The Met Office forecasts peak temperatures of 30 to 31 degrees Celsius through Saturday, before dropping to highs of 25 degrees in southern areas and 22 degrees further north on Sunday. Conditions are expected to remain "dry and settled" into the weekend, with cloud amounts generally increasing. The national weather agency describes the conditions as "pleasant in the sunshine."
Next Week's Temperature Surge
According to the GFS weather model, temperatures could rebound to as high as 36 degrees Celsius on the following weekend. Forecasts for Saturday, July 25 show highs of 34 to 35 degrees in western England, 33 degrees in Wales, 34 degrees in the Midlands, and 34 degrees in the south-east. Data for Sunday, July 26 suggests highs of 36 degrees in the east of England, with temperatures reaching 34 or 35 degrees as far north as South Yorkshire.
Temperature anomaly maps for that weekend depict the UK shaded in orange and red, indicating areas where temperatures are expected to rise well above the seasonal average.
Counties at Risk of 35°C or Higher
The GFS model maps identify nine English counties that could see temperatures of 35 degrees or above later this month:
- Yorkshire
- Nottinghamshire
- Lincolnshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Herefordshire
- Worcestershire
- Gloucestershire
Long-Range Outlook
The Met Office forecast for July 19 to July 28 states: "Towards the latter part of July, the influence of high pressure may wane somewhat, allowing a greater chance of rain, showers or thunderstorms compared to earlier in the month." It adds that overall, temperatures are expected to remain above average during this period.
