Heatwave for parts of the UK this week

Temperatures will climb through the week, potentially reaching record breaking levels by Thursday.

Heatwave thresholds are expected to be met in wide parts of central and eastern England as high temperatures persist for three days or more. 

After a cloudy start for many on Monday morning, a pulse of warm air will move up from the Continent bringing clearer skies and much warmer temperatures from the south east. As the brighter conditions spread across England and Wales, temperatures could reach 29°C in London and East Anglia.

Rain will persist in the far north west of Scotland through the day and overnight but will weaken and eventually clear on Tuesday. It will also be cooler here with temperatures expected to reach 19°C. Northern Ireland will see some sunshine with highs of 25°C in Belfast.

Tuesday will see more widespread sunshine across all parts of the UK, with the best of the brightness in the East and some scattered cloud remaining along western coasts. It will be predominantly dry across the UK with temperatures climbing into the low 30s Celsius across east Wales and much of England as far north as York. Parts of southeast England may reach 34C. 

Later in the afternoon thunderstorms will move into the Westcountry bringing heavy thundery showers from the early evening and overnight as they spread north into Wales before dissipating in the early hours of Wednesday.

Temperatures will remain high overnight into Wednesday, making it uncomfortable to sleep, with potentially record-breaking overnight temperatures of 24°C. The previous record is 23.9°C set in August 1990.

From Wednesday fresher air is expected to move into western parts of the UK however the heat will continue to build in central and eastern parts with highs reaching 35°C.

Thursday is expected to see the peak in temperatures with 37°C possible in the south east of England. The current July record is 36.7°C set at Heathrow in 2015. The all time UK temperature record is 38.5°C recorded in Faversham in August 2003.