Temperatures On The Rise As Scorching Heatwave Will Hit UK This Week

22 July 2019, 12:09

This week's heatwave could beat the all-time temperature record for July, and Wednesday or Thursday may be hottest day of the year.

As the school holidays begin a dangerous heatwave is predicted to hit Britain, causing temperatures to steadily rise throughout the week.

LBC's weatherman John Kettley said: "inevitably there will be thunderstorms and the first storms will start to gather across the South by roundabout early evening on Tuesday....then storms will become more widespread for many parts of the country. "

He said "the peak of the heat" is expected to come on Wednesday and Thursday with temperatures between 28-33C across the UK.

London is predicted to see temperatures reach 32C on Wednesday, with Manchester reaching 28C and and 30C in Bristol.

Temperatures could reach 36C (97F) on Thursday, not far off the July record of 36.7C (98F). The record for the hottest night may also be under threat.

While daytime temperatures are set to hit highs in the mid-30s, humidity will make it will "feel like" 44C (111F), Netweather said, with a risk of isolated thunderstorms on Wednesday.

Public Health England (PHE) and the Met Office have jointly issued a level two "alert and readiness" warning amid fears of a rise in heat-related health problems.

It should be cooler across the UK by the weekend with more westerly winds and patches of rain.

The intense heat is being brought north from an African plume, which has already hit parts of southern Europe

France is set for a second heatwave of the summer this week.

France's national weather service revised the country's all-time record-high temperature to 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees F), which was recorded last month in southern France.

In the US, 50,000 people were left without power as the East Coast sweated through another day of extreme heat and humidity on Sunday.