Maps show where the UK will have near 30c temperatures in coming days
The mercury is set to rise again by the start of next week, the Met Office said, especially for those in the south and east.
Parts of the UK will see temperatures in the low-30s this weekend - thought it might not quite qualify as a heatwave.
The mercury is set to rise again by the start of next week, the Met Office said, especially for those in the south and east.
Some parts of the UK will enjoy hot weather on Sunday, with temperatures set to hit the low-30s in the some areas on Monday, forecasters said.
But with a heatwave defined as three consecutive days of daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold, the fact the hot spike is only likely to last two days means it doesn't quite fit the bill.
However, we could potentially see the hottest day of the year, according to Met Office forecaster Craig Snell. He said: "We are certainly going to be seeing another hot spell coming in across parts of the UK as we go through the second part of the weekend into next week, so Sunday and Monday.
"Not fantastically long-lived, but saying that, it will potentially be very hot for some parts of the UK."
He said temperatures are expected to be at least in the low-30s on Monday, with the hottest weather in central and east England, adding: "Come Monday we’ll possibly see highs reaching around 32C, possibly up to 33C."
Snell said the hot weather would be a "two-day event for most of us", and while some areas of the UK might see a hot day on Saturday, that would most likely be limited to central and southern parts of the country.
He said while temperatures will peak on Monday, some areas in the west will already be turning a bit cooler.
"We could see hottest day of the year so far," he said. "There is also a risk of thunderstorms as we go into Monday and Tuesday."
Temperatures across parts of England and Wales will climb over the weekend before most likely peaking on Monday
Although it will be warm at times across Northern Ireland and Scotland, temperatures here will be nearer to the seasonal average pic.twitter.com/BHXTECTNRA— Met Office (@metoffice) August 8, 2024
The Met Office's forecast said as we head through the weekend an increasingly hot and humid air mass will push across the southern half of the UK, bringing the potential for heavy rain, particularly in the east.
Sunday and Monday are expected to be the warmest days, with highs expected to reach 31C in London, 25C in Manchester, 22C in Glasgow and 21C in Belfast.
Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri said: “Tropical Storm Debby in North America is helping to strengthen the jet stream, and is causing it to meander over the Atlantic. This will allow hot air to move into the UK later this weekend, and early next week.
“Temperatures are likely to reach the low 30C in places, notably in the south and southeast. Further north and west within this warm air, outbreaks of heavy showers or thunderstorms are possible. As well as the hot daytime temperatures, a very warm night is also expected on Sunday night into Monday."
By Tuesday, the hot air mass is likely to become displaced by fresher conditions," the Met Office said.
"The weather then will become unsettled once again, with occasional Atlantic frontal systems or showers moving through at times. However, the weather will also feel fairly pleasant in between these systems."
What is a heatwave?
The Met Office says a heatwave is "an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity".
It said the UK heatwave threshold is met when a location records a period of "at least three consecutive days" with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.
The threshold differs according to country or county, from 25C in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the south west of England to 27C on the south east coast of England and reaches 28C in London and other inland areas in the south and south east.
