Britain could swelter in a scorching 37C heatwave by the end of next week, with new weather maps showing seven counties set to top 34C. Updated WXCharts maps paint large parts of England a volcanic red next Saturday, June 27. The latest projections come after the Met Office said parts of southern and south-east England are likely to meet heatwave criteria, with a 40% chance of exceeding the UK's June temperature record of 35.6C set in 1957.
Amber heat-health alerts are also in force across parts of England until 8pm on Tuesday amid the current spell of hot weather. The new forecasts indicate the hottest conditions will develop next Saturday, with temperatures peaking during the afternoon and early evening. Parts of the South East are shown reaching scorching highs of 37C, while a broad swathe of southern and eastern England climbs above 30C.
Much of England and Wales is forecast to experience temperatures well above the seasonal average. The most intense heat is concentrated across the South East and East Anglia, while Scotland and Northern Ireland remain noticeably cooler. Separate upper-air charts also show a plume of exceptionally warm air stretching across the UK and much of western Europe.
Counties Set to Roast Above 34C
- Kent
- East Sussex
- West Sussex
- Surrey
- Greater London
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
The latest temperature maps show the highest readings focused across southern and eastern England by the evening of June 27. Parts of Kent are shown reaching highs of 37C, with surrounding areas of the South East and East Anglia forecast to experience temperatures between 33C and 36C. Large parts of central and eastern England are also shown climbing above the 30C mark, while much of Wales and northern England reaches the mid to high 20s.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are forecast to remain cooler, with temperatures generally sitting in the high teens and low 20s. A separate ECMWF upper-air temperature chart valid for 00:00 UTC on June 27 shows a broad plume of hot air spreading across the UK, with the deepest red shades covering much of England. The chart indicates Britain will sit within a large area of exceptionally warm continental air extending across western Europe.
