Fifth heatwave of the year likely next week as temperatures could hit 35C

Temperatures are expected to rise above average on Saturday, reaching the mid‑ to high‑20s °C across most of England and Wales. In contrast, Scotland and Northern Ireland will remain cooler, with readings between 17 °C and 21 °C, increased cloud cover, occasional rain and brisk winds. From Sunday into the coming week, temperatures will climb further, pushing many parts of the UK past their local heat‑wave thresholds of 25 °C to 28 °C, depending on location. The prolonged warm spell should provide the three consecutive days required for several areas to record the fifth widespread heat‑wave of the year. The summer so far has been exceptional, with numerous records already broken. July stands as the sunniest month ever recorded for the United Kingdom and, for England and Wales, the driest July on record. To date, 33 days this year have seen temperatures exceed 30 °C in the UK. Forecasts indicate that next week could push the total to 34 days, surpassing the previous high set in 1995. For the first time in recorded history, a temperature of 35 °C has been observed in the UK during each of the three consecutive months of May, June and July. Some forecast models suggest that 35 °C could also be reached in central and south‑east England by the end of next week, potentially allowing August to join that same three‑month streak.