The UK may be set for its fourth heatwave next week after temperatures are predicted to soar from Sunday.
Temperatures are expected to peak in the high twenties across the south of England, according to the Met Office, with London marking 28C on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It is set to remain warm in other parts of the country, with Manchester clocking temperatures of 27C on Tuesday and 25C on Wednesday.
Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said that while exact temperatures weren’t set in stone – and could hit the mid-thirties – many areas would enjoy a “hot spell” during the week.
“I think we could be seeing parts of the UK have another heatwave by the middle of next week,” he said.
A heatwave is identified when a location records across at least three consecutive days maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office. For most of the UK, this is 25C, but rises to 28C in London and the surrounding areas where temperatures are typically higher.
“The general pattern is that we’ll see temperatures start to increase from Sunday and the duration of the heat is likely to last until Tuesday, possibly Wednesday,” said Mr Madge.
“We’re likely to see temperatures get to high 20s across quite a lot of the UK, and in the south we’re likely to see the possibility of temperatures reaching mid-30s degrees centigrade across parts of central, southern and eastern England, with the likelihood that the heat will probably last longest in places like East Anglia, up through Lincolnshire and into Yorkshire.”
A yellow heat health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) across parts of the country from 12pm on Monday until 6pm on Wednesday. The warning covers Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, East of England, London, the South East and South West.
Health bosses have warned of “significant impacts” across health and social care services as temperatures rocket.
The hottest day of the year so far saw 34.7C recorded at St James’s Park in central London on 1 July. As it gets hotter once again, Britain could see its fourth heatwave after one in June and two in July.
It comes as Brits have said they feel unprepared for hot weather, with only half saying they would comply with hosepipe bans if they came into action, dropping to 35 per cent of 16- to 34-year-olds, according to new Ipsos polling of a sample of 1,075 adults across the country.
Nearly half – 48 per cent – of the public are either not at all or only somewhat prepared to adjust their work or daily routines as scorching temperatures become more frequent. Meanwhile, 62 per cent say they think climate change has had some influence on the recent heatwaves and droughts in the country.
However, 16 per cent think recent heatwaves and droughts are mainly caused by natural weather cycles, including a third (34 per cent) of Reform UK voters.
Commenting on the findings, Rachel Brisley, head of energy and environment at Ipsos, said: “Our research suggests that the majority of the British public don’t consider themselves to be prepared to adapt their lifestyles to heatwaves and this includes an unwillingness, by almost half of those surveyed, to comply with hosepipe bans. This seems to be particularly true for younger generations.
“In general, the public considers that climate change has had at least some influence on the recent heatwaves and droughts that are becoming a more frequent part of our lives. Reform UK voters, however, remain sceptical about the human impact on extreme weather events.”
