The UK is bracing for near-40C temperatures as weather maps turn volcanic red, with 42 counties set to experience scorching heat this week. WXCharts has forecast the hot weather for August 13, with highs of 39C.
Hottest spots and regional breakdown
Birmingham will be the hottest city, with highs of 39C, according to the maps. The West Midlands (including Derby) and London will see highs of 38C. The East Midlands (Lincoln, Nottingham), the southeast (Brighton, Canterbury), East Anglia (Cambridge, Peterborough), and the southwest (Exeter, Bristol) will see temperatures between 31C and 37C.
Yorkshire (Scarborough, York) and parts of the southwest will see between 31C and 36C. Wales (Conwy, Cardiff) will see between 25C and 27C, while the northwest (Carlisle) and northeast (Newcastle) will see between 26C and 30C.
Cooler north and Scotland
South Scotland (Edinburgh, Dumfries), east Scotland (Aberdeen, Inverness), and Northern Ireland will see between 23C and 27C. Northwest Scotland (Fort William, Oban) will be the coolest part of the country, with temperatures between 17C and 22C.
Met Office forecast and warnings
The Met Office said last week that heatwave conditions were likely to return, with forecasts of 36C in East Anglia and southeast England on Thursday (August 13). Deputy Chief Forecaster Mike Silverstone said: “Temperatures will climb through the weekend and, more significantly, through much of next week.
“After a brief dip on Monday, high pressure will move across the UK before settling to the east, allowing a southerly flow to develop. A fairly widespread heatwave is likely across large parts of England and Wales, with hot conditions developing in places.
“The heat is expected to peak for much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday, with up to 34C possible in parts of central and southern England and southeast Wales. East Anglia and south-east England, however, could see temperatures even higher on Thursday.
“Humidity levels are also expected to increase through the week, which may make conditions feel more uncomfortable, particularly overnight.”
Health alerts issued
The UK Health Security Agency has issued yellow heat health alerts for parts of England, highlighting the potential impacts of hot weather, particularly for older people and those with underlying health conditions.
