Britain’s scorching heatwave is set to end with new weather maps suggesting temperatures could fall as low as 4C in parts of the UK by early July.
The latest maps, from WX Charts, indicate a dramatic overnight temperature contrast by Tuesday, July 7, following the recent spell of exceptionally hot weather.
The maps show the chilliest conditions developing across parts of central and eastern Scotland, where minimum temperatures could dip to around 4C by 6am.
Much of northern England is forecast to wake up to temperatures between 6C and 9C, while overnight lows of 8C to 10C are shown across the Midlands.
Further south, conditions are expected to remain milder, with much of southern England seeing overnight temperatures of 11C to 14C. Parts of the southwest and the south coast could stay closer to 15C or 16C.
The projected cooldown comes after the UK experienced one of its hottest spells of the year, with temperatures climbing into the mid-30s across parts of England and prompting the Met Office to issue amber and red extreme heat warnings.
The Met Office has warned the UK’s record for the hottest June day could yet be broken again before temperatures begin to ease over the weekend.
Greg Wolverson, deputy chief meteorologist, said: “We’ve seen a new provisional June maximum temperature record for a second consecutive day as the heatwave continues.
“This marks unprecedented heat for the month of June and provides further evidence of how high temperature extremes are becoming increasingly common in the UK as a result of human-induced climate change.
“There’s a chance of this record being challenged again as the warmth moves more markedly east on Friday, before a gradual easing in temperatures through the weekend.”
The forecaster has extended its red extreme heat warning until 9pm on Friday for London and parts of eastern and south east England, including Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Kent. It marks the first time the Met Office has issued red heat warnings across three consecutive days.
Amber heat warnings remain in force across a wider swathe of England on Friday and continue into Saturday for parts of eastern and south east England.
At the same time, the weather is expected to become increasingly unsettled. Yellow thunderstorm warnings are in place for parts of south west England overnight on Thursday and for northern Scotland on Thursday afternoon and evening, while much of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland is covered by yellow thunderstorm warnings on Friday.