Brace for another heatwave: UK to bake in mid-30C temperatures next week

5 August 2022, 08:54 | Updated: 5 August 2022, 09:03

The UK is braced for another heatwave next week after the sweltering 40C temperatures broke records last month.

The mercury is not set to climb quite as high as July's all time hottest day, which saw grass fires break out and train services grind to a halt as tracks baked.

But they could still climb to the low or mid 30s, the Met Office said, thanks to pressure building in the south and south west of England.

Met Office chief forecaster Steve Willington said: "We could see parts of the UK entering heatwave conditions if the above-average temperatures last for three days or more.

"Many areas of the UK, especially the south will witness temperatures several degrees higher than average, but these values are likely to be well below the record-breaking temperatures we saw in mid-July.

"As the high pressure builds there is very little meaningful rain in the forecast, especially in those areas in the south of England, which experienced very dry conditions last month.

"Elsewhere in the UK, such as in northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, rain-bearing weather fronts will make limited headway against the high pressure, bringing some rain to north-western parts of the UK."

Temperatures are due to climb at the weekend and that will continue early into next week.

The hot and dry July's knock on effects are still being felt in England, where fields and parks appear scorched and hosepipe bans have been announced.

Friday is the start of Southern Water's hosepipe ban on its customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, while South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex will have one imposed in a week.

Read more: Drought map reveals areas in the UK at risk from a hosepipe ban as second heatwave looms

Rebekah Sherwin, a deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "The weather pattern bringing next week's hot spell is different to the one responsible for last month's record-breaking temperatures which saw already hot air being drawn up from southern Europe adding to our own home-grown heat.

"This time, that is much less likely; instead, temperatures will build steadily within the lingering area of high pressure.

"There is some uncertainty about next week's temperatures, although in early August sunshine in the UK doesn't have the heating potential of mid-July as the sun is lower in the sky and the hours of daylight are marginally shorter.

"Both of these factors suggest that we're very unlikely to see temperatures peak much above low to mid 30s. However, this would still be a hot spell of weather."