Hot hot hot! Temperatures soar to 31C today and 30C tomorrow after an uncomfortable tropical night tonight
19 July 2024, 13:42
Brits will face sizzling conditions this weekend as temperatures soar to 31C today and 30C on Saturday.
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Summer has finally arrived in the UK, with millions set to bask in the sunshine this weekend, but sadly, it won’t last long.
Most of England and Wales will experience temperatures in the high 20s and early 30s today and tomorrow.
Warm temperatures are expected to continue into the night, with the Met Office predicting “tropical” conditions of above 20C for much of England.
Conditions will be cooler further north, with pockets of rain hitting the northeast this evening.
The Met Office said on X, formerly Twitter: “High pressure in the East draws up warmer air from the continent over the next few days.
“Temperatures will peak at around 30 Celsius in parts of the southeast by Friday.
“A frontal system pushes the warm air away through Sunday where temperatures will fall towards the low 20s.”
As Brits bask in the summer sunshine, Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth warned of high UV levels, which can cause skin damage and even increase a person’s chances of cancer.
"A little bit warmer extending further north across northeastern areas of eastern Scotland still staying largely dry and seeing temperatures into the low 20s as well but it will be all that bit breezier," she continued.
Ms Shuttleworth added there is a chance of "30C, potentially 31C is possible for the greater London area".
She said: "Quite widely will be in those high 20s across many central and southeastern areas of England as well."
Sadly, today’s scorching temperatures are unlikely to lead to an extended heatwave.
The Met Office said: “Temperatures need to hit or exceed a particular value for three consecutive days for it to be considered a heatwave.
“Although a few locations may reach their criteria for three days in a row this week, for most of us it’s going to be one or two days of warmth before the cooler air arrives.”
Prior to this weekend’s warm weather, Brits have faced higher-than-average levels of rain so far this July.
The Met Office reports England saw 97% of July's average rainfall between July 1 and 15, Wales had 65%, Scotland 49% while Northern Ireland had 47%.
London has had a staggering 154% of its July average already.
Looking forward towards the end of the month, the Met Office predicts: “A longer-lived and more widespread spell of dry and sunny weather may develop for a time during the middle part of next week, particularly across southern parts of the UK where conditions may turn very warm for a time.
“Temperatures mostly close to average for a time, with any warmer spells generally short-lived.”
