The Met Office has warned temperatures could reach 35C in nine areas on Wednesday, as amber heat health alerts remain in place across the Southeast of England
Brits are set to bake on Wednesday with temperatures likely to reach 35C.
Forecasters say Wednesday will be the warmest day of the week and, as a result, amber heat health alerts have been issued for the East Midlands, East of England, London and Southeast of England. Yellow heat health alerts have also been put in place for the same period across the South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire & The Humber.
The Met Office says it will remain hot for the rest of the week, and so the heatwave threshold will likely be met across most regions of the UK. The warmest counties on Wednesday should include Berkshire, Surrey and Buckinghamshire.
Although it was warm on Monday, the mercury only peaked at 28C at Heathrow Airport in west London. Wednesday’s figures are expected to be much hotter than that, particularly in the capital.
But the sweltering temperatures will increase the threat of wildfires, which have happened frequently in the UK this month — and across Europe to devastating effects. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes across France, where Emmanuel Macron says the blazes have put the country in its most difficult situation since the Second World War.
And here, firefighters battled a raging wildfire in the Cairngorms for at least 10 days. Families there were also ordered to leave their properties. Temperatures across Scotland this week, though, are not anticipated to be as hot as parts of England and Wales. Southern parts of Scotland and most of Northern Ireland may in fact see showers throughout Wednesday.
Come Thursday, temperatures will ease across much of the country, though those in the Southeast of England will continue to feel the heat for a little longer, with the mercury still forecast to reach 29C, matching the heatwave threshold, reports the Express.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the southeast.
“By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30Cs, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the southeast to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.
“Elsewhere, the weather will be more changeable, and the change to cooler, more unsettled conditions will arrive sooner from the north and west, with a mix of sunshine and showers. Across northern areas, it is possible there will be heavier showers with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms through the week.”
The nine UK counties forecast 35C on Wednesday
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire
East Sussex
Hampshire
Kent
Oxfordshire
Surrey
West Sussex