Exact date 'cold front' will replace 35C heatwave as UK weather maps turn blue
Britain is set for a dramatic shift in weather today, as a long-awaited cold front begins to sweep away the sweltering heat which has gripped the country in recent days.
Fresh Atlantic air is pushing in from the northwest, according to forecasters, bringing a noticeable drop in temperatures to parts of northern England, southern Scotland and the Humber by this afternoon. Meanwhile, southeastern Britain bakes on, with one final blast of heat as thermometers threaten to peak even higher than Monday - thanks to a light westerly breeze drawing hot air across the land. New weather maps show that while the southeast continues to sizzle, much of Scotland and Northern Ireland will see the start of their school summer holidays marked by warmer air, heavy rain, and unsettled skies, particularly in the north and west.
READ MORE: UK weather maps turn a dark red as more thunderstorms to brutally end 35C scorcher
This cold front will stall over northern England and southern Scotland throughout the day, triggering potentially heavy downpours as it battles to push further south. The real relief for the southeast won't come until Wednesday morning, when the heat and humidity finally retreat from Kent, ending yet another sticky and sleepless night for London and the Home Counties, according to NetWeather.
The Met Office has meanwhile warned the southeast will welcome "hot and humid" conditions today along with sunny spells, while the northeast will stay bright and fresh. "Elsewhere, rather cloudy with patchy light rain or drizzle over the hills," it adds.
Metorologist Alex Burkill said in the Met Office's forecast for the first half of this week: "If you're not a fan of the hot weather, I do have some relatively good news. We could see some very high temperatures still across parts of the southeast on Tuesday, but then the fresher air across parts of the north and west is going to make its way across much of the country by Wednesday - so temperatures are going to be dropping. It's going to turn more comforatble for many.
Brits are to expect a three-way split across parts of Scotland, northern England into Wales today. Burkill explained: "There will be some clouds and showery bursts of rain [...] pepping up as we go through the afternoon. A swathe of scattered showers will come up from the south-west across parts of Wales into northern England, perhaps even the north Midlands for a time.
"Towards the north-west of this system, it's looking largely dry, and there will be some bright sunny spells across parts of north-west Scotland and Northern Ireland. And then towards the south-east, across central, eastern, southern parts of England, lots of sunshine on offer."
According to the Met Office, the cold front will only bring momentary releif as temperatures could still exceed those seen on Monday. Burkill added: "The heat is going to continue to build. Towards the south-east, many places will see high 20s, low 30s - but there's potential that we could be looking at around 34C, 35C, maybe even 36C today."
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South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
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Daily Mail
5 hours ago
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Wave goodbye to the heat... for now! Brits to start cooling off as temperatures dip and rain is set to fall - but not for long
Britain is set to cool off tomorrow after a scorching heatwave that posed a 'risk to life' peaked today - but temperatures could near 30C again in parts of the UK by the end of the week. Sunseekers basked in searing 34.7C in St James's Park, London, this afternoon as the UK saw its hottest day of the year reached. Elsewhere across England, the seaside counties of Essex and Kent well surpassed 33C - a red-hot 34.4C being recorded in Writtle - which also almost nearly broke the hottest-ever July 1 on record. Those temperatures marked the end of a scorching heatwave that saw an amber alert deployed, which the Met Office say is only used when forecasters think there is a 'potential risk to life and property'. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had activated a five-day warning starting on Friday due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. And while that alert has been extended until 9am tomorrow, much of the UK is expected to simmer from the boiling temperatures that have scorched the country, with rain now forecast in some parts. However, the heat in more southern areas could return with a vengeance by this weekend as forecasters are already predicting that the south east could be sizzling again by Friday. Delivering an update on the weather across the UK going into this evening and the rest of the week, Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said there was still a lot of humidity in parts of the UK. She said southern areas of England would hold at around 17C or 18C tonight which could make for 'another uncomfortable night for sleeping'. Ms Nasir added: 'Overnight tonight, rain will ease towards the north sea but still quite murky across Scotland, northern England, even the Midlands and eastern counties. 'It'll be cooler towards the north west with one or two showers, but yet again a muggy night down towards the south where we could see temperatures holding around 17C or 18C, so another uncomfortable night for sleeping. 'Temperatures are probably a degree or so lower than last night, even so. 'First thing tomorrow morning more clouds and some showery bursts are likely in the south. Generally a lot of clouds across eastern counties with some wet weather coming and going. 'It could actually intensify for a time with the risk of thunder through the morning before it clears towards the east. 'And then brighter skies for many as we head through the day with some sunshine, but showers will develop in situ, particularly for Northern Ireland, as well as Scotland and one or two for northern England. 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And in Glasgow and Edinburgh, rain is expected from tomorrow until Sunday with temperatures across Scotland's central belt peaking at around 19C. Belfast is expected to be a similar climate. Meanwhile for Cardiff the sunny weather is set to continue into the weekend but things will quickly turn showery on Saturday and Sunday. The hottest-ever temperature for England was recorded on July 19, 2022, when Coningsby, Lincolnshire, saw an astonishing 40.3C reached. Yesterday's heat of 33C almost surpassed the hottest ever June day of 35.6C which was recorded in Southampton in 1976. And today's temperatures almost beat the hottest ever July 1 on record, which was in 2015 when temperatures hit 36.7C. By 1pm today the mercury had hit 33.5C (92.3F) at East Malling in Kent - making it the UK's hottest day of the year so far - beating the 33.2C (91.8F) on June 21 recorded in Surrey. Bedfordshire Council even said its gritters had been dispatched to protect the roads and provide grip for drivers amid fears the heat could cause the Tarmac to soften. Parts of southern England sweated through a tropical night, which happens when temperatures stay above 20C (68F) overnight into the morning. Some tennis fans slept in the early heat after sunrise as they queued for day two of Wimbledon, with British number one Jack Draper and reigning women's champion Barbora Krejcikova starting their campaigns at the All England Club today. And commuters on the London Underground faced travel chaos after a fire alert at South Kensington, which saw the Circle line completely suspended and the District and Hammersmith & City lines both part-suspended. A driver on one Tube train told passengers in an announcement that the fire was likely caused by the heat. 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The hottest June day ever was 35.6C (96.1F), recorded on June 28, 1976. And yesterday was the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, with 29.7C (85.5F) being recorded at the nearby Kew Gardens. The previous record at the tennis championships - 29.3C (84.7F) - was set on June 25, 2001. It marks the second heatwave for parts of the UK this month, with scientists warning searing temperatures of 32C (90F) earlier in June were made 100 times more likely because of human-caused climate change, while the heatwave that gripped south-east England was 10 times likelier. They said heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, and experts have warned heatwaves are 'silent killers', with the impacts of heat severely underestimated. They also say that the UK is unprepared for the rising risk of extremely hot conditions that climate change is bringing - especially earlier in the summer, when people are less acclimatised to coping with it. Professor Richard Allan, from the University of Reading, said the UK was on the edge of a 'large dome of heat' over continental Europe which was driving the heat wave, while ocean temperatures were also up to 2C above average to the south-west of the UK and 'hotter still in the western Mediterranean'. 'The ebb and flow of gigantic atmospheric waves have generated the stable, cloud-free conditions for heat to build up across western Europe,' he said, but added that rising greenhouse gas levels due to human activities were making heat waves more intense. Temperatures have climbed above 40C in countries including Italy, Spain and Greece, with holiday destinations such as Rome, Milan and Naples under the highest heat alert, while Greece is on high wildfire alert. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: 'The current spell of hot weather is forecast to continue until the middle of this week, with temperatures above 30C likely in most regions of England. 'We are reminding everyone to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun. 'Remember that it is very important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable, as the temperatures we are likely to see over the next few days can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions.' Dr Friederike Otto, associate professor at Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said climate change was an 'absolute game-changer' for heat in Europe, making heat waves more frequent and more intense. 'Heat waves are called the silent killer, for a reason, every year thousands of people in Europe die due to extreme heat, particularly those that live in poorly insulated homes, on busy, polluted roads, and that already have health problems,' she said. 'But extreme heat also leads to agricultural losses, infrastructure failure and puts a big strain on plants and animals.' Meanwhile, the Business Secretary has said the UK does not need additional workplace laws which would allow Britons to be sent home during hot weather. Jonathan Reynolds said 'behavioural changes' like drinking plenty of water and staying protected in the sun were more important. There is no law nor guidance in the UK for minimum or maximum acceptable workplace temperatures, but employers must follow health and safety law to keep temperatures at a reasonable level. Mr Reynolds suggested a law change was not needed when asked if workers should be sent home in the event temperatures climb too high and there is no mitigation like air conditioning in place. He said: 'It is a hot day today for a northerner like myself. I'm struggling a little bit with it. 'There are existing laws in place, the health and safety acts, around what a safe workplace should be. I don't think we need more legislation in that area.' He added: 'Obviously, some behavioural changes, making sure people are hydrated, obviously are duly protected if they work, particularly outside. 'I think we have got to make sure that we're doing that. We shouldn't need additional laws.' Conservationists and green experts have warned of the wildfire risk of the heatwave as well as the impact on farmers, who face another poor harvest following one of the driest springs on record. Retailers warned today that fruit and vegetable prices in Britain have increased due to the hot and dry weather reducing harvest yields. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said this jump had contributed to shop prices having returned to inflation for the first time in almost a year. Overall shop prices were 0.4 per cent higher in June than a year earlier - a significant jump from the decline of 0.1 per cent seen in May, according to the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index. Food inflation increased to 3.7 per cent from May's 2.8 per cent in May, while fresh food was 3.2 per cent more expensive than a year ago. Meat prices have also been hit by high wholesale prices and more expensive labour costs. In terms of wildfires, Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation and restoration ecology at the National Trust, said: 'With record-breaking temperatures across the country this week following the driest spring on record, our ranger and countryside teams are on high alert for fires which can cause decades of damage to habitats, decimate ecosystems and result in significant losses to our wildlife. 'Unfortunately, the sad truth is that most of the fires in the UK that impact our landscapes are started by people, whether accidentally or not, rather than by natural causes. 'Therefore, we're calling on people to help us protect wildlife and habitats by acting responsibly when outdoors, as even a small spark can cause a fire, and to please call 999 if you see a fire or any suspicious behaviour.'
Leader Live
8 hours ago
- Leader Live
Rebel Wilson and Cate Blanchett among stars in Royal Box on another sweltering day at Wimbledon
Temperatures hit around 32C by mid‑afternoon, edging close to the tournament's all-time record of 35.7C which was set in 2015. Wilson, best known for Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids, attended the tennis tournament with her wife Ramona Agruma, while two-time Oscar-winner Blanchett was joined by her husband Andrew Upton. Also in the crowd were reality star Molly-Mae Hague and actress Sarah Lancashire – who was sat alongside Peter Salmon. Australian actress Blanchett's fellow screen star Rose Byrne, known for Bridesmaids, Spy and Physical, was also among the invited guests. Also among the celebrities attending were Andy Murray's mother, Judy Murray, golfer Justin Rose, broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Pointless host Alexander Armstrong. Centre Court's order of play on Tuesday included world number two Coco Gauff, who faced Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska, and Novak Djokovic, who began his campaign against France's Alexandre Muller. Russell Crowe kept cool in a full suit despite the soaring heat, joining partner Britney Theriot in the Royal Box on Centre Court. Temperatures at SW19 soared past 30C again, with the Met Office provisionally confirming Monday was the hottest opening day on record. Kew Gardens hit 29.7C on Monday, breaking the previous record of 29.3C set in 2001. On Monday, play on Centre Court was paused after a woman collapsed in the stands during Carlos Alcaraz's match. The defending champion rushed to help, passing her a water bottle as paramedics and other spectators assisted.
