UK Braces for Extreme Heat and Thunderstorms Amid Record Dry Spell
London anticipates 30C highs next week as conflicting forecasts emerge for a potential sixth heatwave and flash flooding risks.
Callum Smith
London is expected to experience highs of 30C next week.
London's heatwave threshold, defined by three or more consecutive days at 28C or higher, will be breached. WXCharts' latest maps project potential highs of 33C or 34C in the capital next Wednesday.
From Wednesday, August 12, until Saturday, August 15, these marks are forecast to be exceeded. A particularly sticky night looms for Thursday, August 13, with the mercury set to remain around 31C at midnight, WXCharts indicates.
Hot air could surge back into the country from around Sunday, August 9, rebuilding the heat as the week progresses, the Met Office claims. The GFS weather model indicates temperatures could rise past 37C again next week.
This potentially surpasses the current 2026 record of 37.7C, set on June 26 in Lingwood, Norfolk. Up to 14 English counties are set to exceed 35C next week, with highs potentially reaching 36C, WXCharts modelling claims.
Temperatures could climb to 33C in areas as far north as Yorkshire next week. South Wales could hit 31C, and the Midlands may rise as high as 33C, according to the GFS weather model.
Southern parts of Scotland could also see temperatures climb to 28C next week. Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, with an average temperature of 20.74C, over 3C above the long-term average.
Only 5.6mm of rainfall was recorded in England in July, less than half of the previous record set in 1911. July was also the driest month ever recorded in southern England.
Despite the intense heat, much of the north and west of the UK will be affected by low pressure, bringing heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. These storms could produce up to 50mm of rain in just three to six hours.
The extreme weather this summer has included multiple heatwaves, fuelling drought and wildfires. The Met Office states conditions could become 'very warm or hot' later this month, with a possibility of 'thundery interludes'.
However, temperatures are expected to cool to average levels on Wednesday, even as other forecasts suggest continued or increased heat.