The southern half of the UK has experienced a hot and humid week. Central and southern England, along with Wales, have seen at least four consecutive days of heatwave conditions, surpassing the region’s heatwave criteria. The year’s highest temperature so far was recorded on Tuesday in London at 32°C. East Malling in Kent is experiencing its longest heatwave, with Friday potentially marking its sixth day.
Summer heatwaves can often lead to powerful thunderstorms, as evidenced by Thursday’s storms in parts of central and southern England and Wales. Some areas in Hampshire and Surrey received around 45mm of rain in just a few hours, nearly three-quarters of August’s average rainfall, causing flash flooding and power outages.
Currently, the thunderstorm risk has decreased with the arrival of high pressure, so stormy conditions are not expected for the next few days, although a small chance of thunderstorms remains for southern England on Saturday afternoon. This weekend will see a gradual decrease in heat and humidity as a frontal system moves southeast. Daytime temperatures will range between 15°C and 24°C, with more comfortable conditions at night.
Saturday: Showers will affect central, southern, and eastern England, with blustery showers moving into western Scotland and Northern Ireland later. Other areas should remain dry with plenty of sunshine.
Next week is expected to be cooler and more unsettled. Low-pressure systems will bring periods of wet and windy weather, particularly to Northern Ireland and Scotland. Higher pressure further south will result in drier conditions for southern England and Wales, although some rain is likely, especially on Tuesday.
