The Met Office has warned that a return to heatwave conditions is 'increasingly likely' with temperatures set to soar into the 30s within days, but forecasters say this upcoming hot spell will be significantly different from the record-breaking heatwave that struck the UK last week.
Last week's heatwave saw temperatures peak at 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, on Friday June 26, making it the hottest June day in UK history. The previous record of 37.3C at Santon Downham in Suffolk was broken on the same day. The extreme heat triggered rare amber and red heat health alerts, with the Met Office warning of risk to life even for healthy individuals. Hospitals declared critical incidents as machinery and IT systems failed, and hundreds of schools across England closed early or shut completely. Scientists attributed the extreme heat to human-induced climate change, noting such temperatures would have been impossible 50 years ago.
What Makes the Third Heatwave Different?
According to the Met Office, the upcoming heatwave will differ in two key ways: temperatures are unlikely to reach record-breaking levels, and humidity will be significantly lower. This means conditions will feel more bearable compared to the oppressive heat of late June. Tony Wisson, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office, explained: 'Although a return to heatwave conditions is looking increasingly likely for some areas, the likelihood of such extreme high temperatures or high levels of humidity as last week is currently low.'
High pressure building in from the Azores is expected to push temperatures up as early as this weekend. Current Met Office temperature maps show 27C forecast across southern England on Sunday afternoon, rising to 29C on Monday and Tuesday. Wisson added: 'Toward the weekend, high pressure will continue to build in across most of the UK as it extends from the Azores. This will lead to more settled, warm or very warm conditions for many, especially across England and Wales, though some rain may still affect the far north.'
Health Alerts Issued Despite Lower Heat Intensity
Despite the less severe forecast, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued new yellow heat health alerts for large parts of England. The alerts are in place from 12pm on Saturday, July 4, until 5pm on Wednesday, July 8, covering the East Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, and London. The UKHSA warned that these alerts indicate a 'greater risk to life for vulnerable people' and could impact health and social care services. There is also an increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, with a heightened risk of water-related incidents, including cold-water shock and drowning.
The Met Office's Wisson noted that temperatures could approach the high 20s across parts of England, possibly reaching 30C in the southeast, with mid to high 20s in Wales. However, he stressed that the extreme highs of the previous heatwave are not expected.
