Is a heatwave on its way? Temperatures could reach mid-30s this week
People enjoy the sun in St James's Park, London, last year. Parts of the UK could see an official heatwave in the coming days, forecasters have said - Credit: PA
Experts are urging Britain to start preparing for its “first properly hot summer’s day”, with temperatures set to climb as high as the mid-thirties this week.
If the prediction is accurate, Britain will be hotter than Portugal, Jamaica, Costa Rica, the Canary Islands and Cyprus.
Heatwaves are also likely over the coming months, with one meteorologist hailing a turning point after a disappointing start to the year.
“There’s not been much in the way of exceptionally warm days or hot days yet this year, but that is set to change,” the Met Office’s Steven Keates said.
“We’re set to see probably a brief spell of hot weather at the end of this coming week.”
South East England may experience temperatures of 32C (89.6F) on Friday, although Mr Keates added: “It could possibly be a little hotter than that…mid-thirties are possible.”
It would also mean the hottest day of the year so far, eclipsing the record of 27.5C (81.5F) set in mid-May at Heathrow.
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“We should beat that comfortably on Friday and potentially exceed it, or get very close to it, on Wednesday and Thursday as well,” Mr Keates said.
The meteorologist added that heatwaves – three consecutive days of high temperatures – were possible between June and mid-September.
“We think at the moment it will be warmer than average with an increasing likelihood of heatwaves,” he said.
“There have been no heatwaves so far this year… the greater likelihood is that it’s going to be the further south, south east, you are.”
Milder conditions look likely to return later in the weekend with temperatures trending back to around average for June as we see cooler air push across the country from the northwest.
It is still relatively unusual for temperatures to reach the mid-thirties in June.
You have to go back to 1976 for the highest temperature recorded in the UK during June, when 35.6C was reached at Southampton Mayflower Park on June 28.
