Parts of the United Kingdom could be heading into another spell of “very warm or hot” weather from this weekend, forecasters say, in what would mark the latest instalment of an already record-breaking summer. The Met Office said temperatures could begin climbing in southern parts of the country from Sunday and into next week, according to Yahoo News UK, though officials cautioned it remained too soon to pin down precise details.
“It’s far too early for any detail, however, with different forecast models giving very different outcomes, but temperatures are likely to be higher than average for many, and it may well turn hot in the South,” Sky News meteorologist Dr Christopher England said.
Weather Forecast Heatwave: How Does This Fit Into An Already Extreme Summer?
The forecast follows a summer already marked by repeated and severe hot spells across the country. Summer 2026 has so far brought two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that contributed to more than 2,700 excess deaths, according to Yahoo News UK. Two further heatwaves last month also helped make July the driest since records began in England and Wales, deepening drought conditions across parts of the country.
Weather Forecast Heatwave: What Risks Are Officials Warning About This Time?
Beyond the immediate temperature outlook, forecasters say the wider pattern of dry conditions could persist well beyond the coming week. “Even for the second half of the month, it is suggested that rainfall totals are more likely to be below normal than above, with the potential for further spells of hot weather at times as well,” the Met Office said, according to Yahoo News UK.
The prospect of prolonged dryness has already prompted precautionary measures from retailers and emergency services alike. Major supermarkets have removed disposable barbecues from sale amid warnings of a heightened wildfire risk, while firefighters have tackled blazes in recent weeks in locations including Dunwich in Suffolk and the Cairngorms in Scotland.
Weather Forecast Heatwave: Could This Become An Official Heatwave?
Whether the coming spell will formally qualify as a heatwave depends on how long elevated temperatures persist, since the Met Office’s criteria require specific thresholds to be met across three consecutive days, varying by region. Earlier warm spells this summer have already triggered Heat Health Alerts from the UK Health Security Agency across parts of England, warning of a heightened risk to vulnerable groups including the elderly and those with existing health conditions.
With confidence still limited in the exact timing and scale of next week’s warm-up, the Met Office said it would continue refining its outlook in the coming days, while urging the public to stay alert to further heat alerts and fire-risk warnings as the pattern develops.
