A fourth heatwave is on its way, with new weather maps showing temperatures could reach 39C in parts of the UK from Wednesday, July 29. According to WXCharts, hot weather will spread from Scotland to southern England, with at least 30C across the entire country.
The hottest areas are expected to be the south and south-east of England and London, where temperatures could range between 35C and 39C. Wales is also likely to be very warm, with many areas reaching up to 35C. In Scotland, temperatures are forecast to remain in the mid-20s.
Met Office Forecast
The Met Office outlook for the period says: "Dry with sunny spells in the south, while northern areas see outbreaks of showers, sometimes heavy. Warm to very warm in southern regions, especially the southeast, with cooler conditions elsewhere."
Temperatures are set to become warmer from Tuesday, with highs of more than 30C expected through Wednesday and until Thursday in the south-east. WXCharts also indicates the hot spell could last after Wednesday, with maps for July 30 and 31 showing temperatures reaching up to 37C at midnight on July 31.
Drought and Dry Conditions
North Wales and the Upper Severn became the first part of the UK to declare drought status on Thursday. Parts of Exeter, Devon and Usk in Wales have met their heatwave thresholds for 20 consecutive days. No rain has fallen in July in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and West Sussex, and 16 counties have recorded just 0.1mm.
Counties Set for Temperatures Over 35C on Wednesday
- London
- Bedfordshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Oxfordshire
- Surrey
- West Sussex
- Shropshire
- Herefordshire
- Worcestershire
- Warwickshire
- Gloucestershire
- Staffordshire
- Northamptonshire
- Leicestershire
- Rutland
- Nottinghamshire
- Derbyshire
- Lincolnshire
- Yorkshire
