The UK is expected to face a notable heatwave next week, with forecasters warning that temperatures could climb to 30C, potentially making parts of the country warmer than Los Angeles. The Met Office says rising high pressure across the UK will create warm and humid conditions, with temperatures set to move above seasonal averages and into the high 20s by the end of the week.
The warmer spell follows an already pleasant weekend. On Saturday, temperatures reached 22.4C in Kent and 21.3C at Kew Gardens in London. Sunday is expected to stay largely fine and dry across most of the UK, although a few showers may affect Scotland.
In the coming days, conditions will vary by region. South-west England could see temperatures of 26C, with isolated spots possibly reaching 27C. Wales is forecast to warm to about 23C, while Scotland is expected to rise to around 20C after a showery Saturday. Monday may bring thunderstorms in some areas, but temperatures should remain in the low 20s before cloud and rain spread in from the west on Tuesday.
Forecasters say the real rise in heat will come from midweek as warmer air moves in from Europe. By Wednesday, parts of south-east England could reach around 27C, with further warming likely on Thursday and Friday. The trend may continue into next weekend, with a chance that 30C will be recorded somewhere in the UK by the end of the week.
Cloud cover could prevent temperatures from climbing even higher in some places, but the overall outlook points to a sustained period of warm weather. Met Office forecaster Kathryn Chalk said the country is “definitely seeing a warming trend from midweek onwards.” She added that nights will also feel warmer and more humid, though not as extreme as earlier heat because this spell is not expected to bring uninterrupted sunshine.
The forecast suggests a marked change in weather pattern for much of the UK, with sunshine, humidity and rising temperatures set to dominate after a mixed start to the week.
