Heat returning: 40C on the cards again?

Another prolonged spell of hot weather looks to be on the cards, with above-average temperatures and high pressure reinstating itself across the entirety of Great Britain and Ireland.

With many parts of England suffering from a lack of rainfall and subsequent drought conditions, the end doesn’t seem to be in sight just yet.

Temperatures look to be rising through the rest of the week, with the peak of this hot spell on Friday and Saturday, for central and southern England in particular. At this stage, there is a 100% probability of 30C being reached, around 50% of 35C, and a 5% chance of 40C.

Similar probabilities were also suggested in the lead up to the last hot spell. Some weather models are suggesting there could be ten consecutive days of 30C temperatures, between now and 18th August .

Amber extreme heat warnings have been issued by the Met Office for much of southern England and eastern parts of Wales from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th August. Even outside of these areas, heatwave criteria are still likely to be met. The UK Health Security Agency has also issued a Level 3 Heat Health Alert.

This prolonged hot and dry spell is likely to exacerbate the drought conditions and risk of wildfires. Many supermarkets have already halted the sale of disposable barbecues, including Waitrose, Aldi and Marks & Spencer.

Make sure you stay up to date with the latest via our TemperatureRadar over the next few days.