Great Britain is anticipating its third heatwave of the summer, with the Met Office predicting temperatures could soar to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) this week. High pressure is expected to dominate the south of England from Monday for five days, ushering in increasingly hot and sunny conditions.
Temperatures are projected to surpass 30C in the South on Tuesday and Wednesday, with an intense heat reaching up to 35C expected across southern England by Thursday. In London, Monday's temperatures are forecast to reach 33C, dropping slightly to 31C on Tuesday before returning to 33C on Wednesday, and climbing to a sweltering 35C by Thursday. Cambridge could see 34C on Thursday, and Birmingham is expected to reach 33C on the same day, while Manchester's temperatures may climb to 29C.
By Friday, a "refreshing breeze" is anticipated along the eastern coast, with temperatures beginning to decrease slightly to the low thirties and high twenties across the country.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued yellow heat health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, Southeast England, and Southwest England, effective from Saturday, July 4, until Saturday, July 11. These alerts highlight an increased risk to health, particularly for vulnerable individuals.
In contrast to the heat in England, Scotland is set to experience a different weather pattern. The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings for rain in the Highlands. Persistent and heavy rain is expected in Fort William, Portree, and Tobermory on Sunday and into Monday. These showers are attributed to weather fronts moving around the high-pressure system, pushing into western Scotland at the start of the week.
The downpours are predicted to be heavy initially before gradually easing. Rain is expected to continue across Scotland on Tuesday, but brighter conditions are forecast for northern regions by Wednesday.
This upcoming heatwave follows a period of record-breaking temperatures earlier in the summer. In June, a record for the hottest June day was set at 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk. The May heatwave also saw a record of 35.1C in Kew, London, surpassing the previous high of 32.8C from 1922.
The recent hot weather in England has coincided with several drowning incidents. On Saturday, a man's body was recovered from Watermead Country Park in Leicestershire. This incident followed reports of six drowning deaths in June, including a 55-year-old woman in Sandwell Valley Country Park, near Birmingham; 22-year-old Brody Leach in the River Severn in Shrewsbury; a 15-year-old boy at Testwood Lakes near Southampton; a 69-year-old man in Clacton-on-Sea; a 50-year-old at Aberavon beach in Wales; and a 13-year-old boy in a lake in Syston, Leicestershire.