Seven areas across the UK are set to sizzle this week, with highs of 32C. Weather maps from WXCharts.com have turned red on Wednesday as much of the Midlands and southern England sees a return of the high temperatures that have characterised much of the summer thus far.
Cities such as Peterborough, Norwich, Colchester and London will all see temperatures hit at least 30C on Wednesday, according to the forecaster, as Britain braces itself for more hot weather. Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Greater London, Bedfordshire and Kent will also see the mercury hit 32C.
Additionally, the Met Office has advised that a return to heatwave conditions could be seen this week, although it is uncertain whether conditions will meet the official threshold for a heatwave.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the southeast.
“By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30°Cs, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the southeast to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.
“Elsewhere, the weather will be more changeable, and the change to cooler, more unsettled conditions will arrive sooner from the north and west, with a mix of sunshine and showers.
“Across northern areas, it is possible there will be heavier showers with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms through the week.”
The forecaster warns that while the weather will be hot and humid in the south, the conditions will not be replicated across the entire country.
In a forecast for Wednesday, they said: “Rather cloudy across the north, with outbreaks of rain sinking southwards into northern England during the afternoon. Dry and sunny across the south, where it will feel hot and humid.”
They warn that temperatures will ease as the week draws to a close, with unsettled weather and even rain being seen by the weekend.
They wrote: “By Friday, temperatures are expected to be much closer to average for most of the UK, and slightly below average in the far north. The far south is likely to stay a little warmer as high pressure continues to influence conditions, although it will feel markedly different from the midweek highs.
“The conditions over the weekend and into next week are more uncertain; it’s likely to remain relatively dry and settled on Saturday, however this may give way to more unsettled conditions from Sunday onwards with some spells of rain and strong winds, however the forecast confidence is low at this stage so please keep in touch with updates through the week.”