world
UK Temperatures to Fall This Week After Record Heat
Cooler air and rain are forecast across much of the country after last week's record temperatures. High pressure may return by the weekend, raising the possibility of renewed heat.
Audio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
The UK is set for cooler weather this week after a spell of record-breaking heat, but the reprieve may not last long. New June heat records were set on three consecutive days last week, ending with 37.3C at Santon Downham in Suffolk, smashing the previous June record of 35.6C set in 1976.
This week, with weather coming in from the Atlantic on south-westerly winds, temperatures will fall and areas of low pressure will bring some rain. By the weekend, however, high pressure may become more dominant with another chance of a heatwave on the way.
The area of high pressure causing last week's blistering heat has moved into eastern Europe, allowing temperatures to fall in the west. South-westerly winds from the Atlantic have arrived, dropping temperatures and lowering the humidity. On Monday, most places will be dry with sunny spells.
Temperatures will be highest in the Midlands and eastern England - a more comfortable 24 or 25C. On Tuesday, an area of low pressure is set to bring showers or longer spells of rain, mainly to northern and western areas. A second area of low pressure will then arrive from the Atlantic later on Wednesday.
As it steers further north, the rain and stronger winds are more likely in Northern Ireland than Scotland. The low pressure will move away to Scandinavia on Wednesday night, and Thursday should be dry after morning blustery showers in Scotland die out.
The highest temperatures of this week will also be in south-east England, reaching around 25 or 26C. An area of high pressure extending from the Azores at the end of the week could end up being parked over the UK and parts of western Europe from the weekend and into early next week.
It is not out of the question that this could turn into another heat dome with rapidly rising temperatures and more sunshine. While it is still a long way off, it is possible that the heatwave threshold will once again be triggered in south-eastern parts of the UK in early July.
Some weather models are suggesting a similar weather pattern to the record-breaking heatwave in June, with more extreme forecast temperatures of 35C.
