The third heatwave of the year has hit the UK with temperatures set to climb to 34C in the coming days.
A week-long warning from health officials came into force on Saturday in parts of the UK, with the Met Office warning that high temperatures later in the week could cause a greater risk to life for vulnerable people.
Forecasters say temperatures in the south could reach 29C on Sunday, before approaching the low 30s next week and hitting a peak of 34C on Thursday or Friday.
But, while the country was left reeling after June’s record-breaking heatwave, the next hot spell is promised to be much more pleasant as humidity levels will remain low.
The heatwave will also not affect the whole of the UK, with mainly the south and south east of England affected.
Aidan McGivern, Met Office meteorologist, said: “It’s not going to be as hot or as humid so not quite as uncomfortable, and not quite as impactful. It also will not affect the whole of UK.”
Highs of 29C are expected in London on Sunday and he heat will continue to build into next week as Monday could see highs of 32C.
Yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), covering the East Midlands, east, south-east and south-west of England, including London, and the West Midlands, from midday on Saturday until 8pm on July 11.
While the south will bask in the sunny weather this weekend, western Scotland is set to have a very wet spell, especially over the west and northwest Highlands where there is the risk of over 100mm of rain by the end of this weekend, Mr McGivern said.
More pulses of wet weather will be seen across large swathes of the northwest on Sunday morning, with widespread rain across Scotland into parts of northern England, the Pennines, the Lake District and some outbreaks in Northern Ireland.
The significant contrasts from place to place is due to an “emerging area of high pressure extending over the Azores sitting close to the south and southwest over the weekend,” the Met Office meteorologist said.
He added: “A westerly airflow over the top of that high brings frontal systems into Scotland, and those fronts will ebb and flow. They will bring a lot of cloud, a strong breeze and outbreaks of heavy and persistent rain.”
Meanwhile, Southern Water has issued a hosepipe pan from 12.01am on July 10 in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
Southern Water says on its website that “the warmest spring on record, followed by a record-breaking heatwave, has left river levels 25 per cent lower than expected for this time of year”.
It adds that the River Test has lost a third of its water within the last month, “putting pressure on our ability to treat and supply your water”.
Southern Water says the hosepipe ban will be removed “as soon as we can”, adding “this can only happen when there’s enough water in our reservoirs, rivers and underground aquifers to meet demand”.
South East Water’s temporary hosepipe ban for people living in Kent came into force on Friday.
Met Office forecast
Today:
Cloudy across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England, with rain at times, heaviest in western Scotland. Elsewhere, plenty of hazy sunshine after early cloud clears. Warm or very warm for many. Locally hot in south-eastern England.
Tonight:
Fine, warm and mostly clear in the south, though cloud thickens across Wales and the southwest with some fog. Cloudy further north with rain, heaviest in western and northwestern Scotland.
Monday:
Rain persists across northern and northwestern Scotland. Cloudy at first across Northern Ireland and northern England with patchy drizzle. Elsewhere, sunny spells. Very warm and locally hot in the southeast.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:
Mostly dry and settled with sunshine for many. Rain lingers in the far northwest, easing through the week. Warm or very warm widely. Hot conditions at times in the south.
