After weeks of damp and chilly conditions, summer appears to be making a comeback. Next week, parts of the UK are expected to see temperatures climb to 27°C as the school holidays begin in England.
This past weekend saw a return of clouds and cooler weather following the hottest day of the year on Friday, when temperatures peaked at 31.9°C in St James’s Park, London.
Despite the cool start to the weekend, Sunday should bring fresher, brighter conditions, with temperatures likely staying in the low 20s, typical for July.
Craig Snell from the Met Office noted that the east may experience a “grey start” to Sunday, while the south will see temperatures in the high teens. As the day progresses, dry and sunny spells are expected across much of the country.
Bright and dry weather is expected Sunday; rain will follow on Monday and Thursday.Looking ahead to next week, rain is forecast to move in from the west on Monday, bringing wet weather to northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The south should stay largely dry.
By Tuesday and Wednesday, conditions are set to improve, with temperatures rising, potentially reaching 27°C in some southern areas.
Thursday will see more rain before typical July weather returns for the weekend. Snell indicated that while there won’t be continuous sunshine and rain is expected in the north on Monday and across the country on Thursday, the weather will be warmer than early July, and prevailing, the south-east and south are expected to experience the highest temperatures next week.
The sunny spell follows a particularly rainy July, with London receiving 154% of its usual rainfall in the first half of the month.
The recent heatwave prompted health alerts for the elderly and those with health conditions. The previous highest temperature of 2024 was 30.5°C recorded at Wisley, Surrey, on June 26.