UK Heatwave to Peak at 31C Monday After Hottest June on Record

Temperatures across southern England are forecast to reach 29C by 6pm Sunday and climb to 31C on Monday as high pressure builds from the Azores. The Met Office said the weekend will bring a mix of conditions, with rain and showers expected across Scotland and northern England while the south and southeast stay largely dry.

Saturday is expected to start cloudy with rain in the north and west before brightening for many areas, though the northwest will remain cloudy with further showers. Night temperatures will stay mild, with patchy rain possible across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.

Sunday will bring warm spells of sunshine for much of England and Wales, while Northern Ireland and Scotland stay cloudier with additional rain.

The forecast follows the hottest June on record for England and the second-warmest June for Wales. Temperatures exceeded the previous June record of 35.6C set in Southampton in 1976 on three consecutive days last week. A provisional new record of 37.7C was recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk, on Friday.

Further spells of rain are expected across northwestern parts through Monday and Tuesday, with temperatures near average in those areas. The southeast will stay sunny and turn locally hot, while Wednesday is expected to remain widely dry and warm.

“Toward the weekend, high pressure will continue to build in across most of the UK as it extends from the Azores. This will lead to more settled, warm or very warm conditions for many, especially across England and Wales, though some rain may still affect the far north.”