The United Kingdom is set to experience its fifth heatwave of the year next week, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 35 degrees Celsius in some areas. This follows a weekend where temperatures in most of England and Wales began climbing above average, reaching the mid- to high 20s Celsius. Scotland and Northern Ireland will see cooler conditions with highs between 17 and 21 degrees Celsius, accompanied by cloud and wind.
By Sunday and into the following week, temperatures are projected to rise further, with many locations exceeding the threshold for a heatwave, typically defined as three consecutive days with temperatures above 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, depending on the specific area.
This summer has already been marked by extreme weather events and broken records. July was the sunniest and driest on record for England and Wales. This year has seen 33 days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius across the UK, a record of 34 days set in 1995, which is likely to be surpassed. Furthermore, the UK has recorded temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius for the first time in May, June, and July. Forecast models suggest that August could also join this list by the end of next week, with central and southeast England possibly reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
The UK's Health Security Agency has issued heat-health alerts, with much of England under a yellow alert, indicating a risk to health for vulnerable individuals.
