Met Office maps show when official heatwave could hit UK this week

A series of yellow weather warnings have been issued for the coming week – for heat as well as thunderstorms – with high temperatures potentially bringing an official heatwave.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has put yellow heat health warnings in place for most of England until Wednesday – with all areas of the country except the North East and North West included in the warning.

Forecasters have said that high temperatures could lead to an official heatwave, with much of the UK set to enjoy “very warm, locally hot weather” over the next few days. The Met Office said the mercury could reach up to 32C in London by Tuesday, while long-term forecasts remain warm despite the chance of thunderstorms during the week.

The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office. This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and the surrounding areas, where temperatures are typically higher.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms for much of the UK for Thursday, as the hot weather is followed by rain. Most of southern England, the Midlands and much of the north of England are covered by the alert, which comes into force at 12am on Thursday and ends at 11.59pm.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: “There is certainly potential that it could become an actual official heatwave, because in the spells you’ve had before it hasn’t actually met all the criteria.

“If there’s not, it’s very close to it, and if you’re out and about and a member of the public then it’s going to feel like a heatwave anyway, because also overnight things are going to turn a little bit more humid and muggy day-on-day as well.”

The hottest day of the year so far saw a temperature of 31.9C recorded at St James’s Park in central London on 19 July.

Here's what the upcoming weather will be like for each region of the UK, according to the Met Office.

London and the South East

• Monday and Tuesday

A fine and dry start with light winds and perhaps a bit of early mist soon clearing. Plenty of sunshine across the region for much of the day. Warm or very warm, though cooler along coastal areas. Maximum temperature 29C. A dry evening with some late sunshine on Monday. Remaining dry and largely clear overnight, allowing isolated patches of mist and shallow fog to form by the end of the night. Mild. Minimum temperature 12C.

Another fine and dry day on Tuesday with plenty of hazy sunshine across the region and for much of the day. Feeling hot and increasingly humid though cooler along coasts. Maximum temperature 32C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Largely fine and dry Wednesday, but an increasing risk of showers on Thursday, potentially thundery. Feeling very warm and humid. Cooler and breezy on Friday, chance of showers for some.

South West

• Monday and Tuesday

Any early morning mist or fog patches soon clearing to leave another very warm day with plenty of sunshine, though perhaps a little patchy cloud developing later on in the day. Sea breezes developing, but winds remaining light for most. Maximum temperature 27C. Plenty of late-evening sunny spells before a calm night with some prolonged clear spells where a few pockets of mist may form in the countryside. Another mild night to come. Minimum temperature 14C.

Another fine, settled day on Tuesday with lots of very warm sunshine, though starting to feel more humid. A build-up of high cloud may turn the skies a little hazy at times. Maximum temperature 28C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Warm and humid at first. Turning unsettled with a chance of thundery showers on Wednesday and for a while on Thursday. Fresher on Friday, with fairly cloudy skies and showers.

Midlands

• Monday and Tuesday

Another very warm day in the West Midlands on Monday with plenty of sunshine, though perhaps turning a little cloudier through the afternoon, with the sunshine becoming hazier at times. Winds staying light. Maximum temperature 27C.

A fine and dry start in the East Midlands with light winds and perhaps a bit of early mist soon clearing. Some fair weather cloud building by the afternoon. Warm or very warm, though perhaps cooler along coastal areas. Maximum temperature 28C.

Tuesday set to be another fine, settled day with lots of very warm sunshine in the West Midlands. A build-up of high cloud may turn the skies a little hazy at times. Maximum temperature 27C. Another fine and dry day in the East Midlands too, with plenty of hazy sunshine in the morning, some fair weather cloud in the afternoon. Feeling warm and increasingly humid though cooler along coasts. Maximum temperature 28C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Very warm sunshine again on Wednesday in the West Midlands, though an increasing chance of showers, which could turn thundery. Showers should clear eastwards on Thursday. Fresher on Friday with bright spells and showers.

In the East Midlands, largely fine and dry Wednesday but an increasing risk of showers on Thursday, potentially thundery. Feeling warm and humid. Cooler and breezy on Friday, a chance of showers for some.

North East

• Monday and Tuesday

A fine and dry day with light winds and perhaps a bit of mist early, but plenty of hazy sunshine through the day. Warm, particularly in the south of the region. Maximum temperature 24C. A dry evening on Monday with some late sunshine. Remaining dry and largely clear overnight, allowing isolated patches of mist and shallow fog to form by the end of the night. Mild. Minimum temperature 13C.

A fairly cloudy start to Tuesday but dry, the cloud breaking up into sunny spells later. The odd isolated shower over the Pennines possible. Feeling warm and increasingly humid, with light winds. Maximum temperature 25C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Largely fine and dry Wednesday and Thursday, the odd afternoon and evening shower, locally heavy. Feeling warm and humid. Cooler and breezy on Friday, with showers in the west.

North West

• Monday and Tuesday

Another very warm day with plenty of sunshine, though more cloud arriving through the afternoon and so the sunshine turning rather hazier then as a result. Quite breezy around the coasts, but otherwise light winds. Maximum temperature 26C.

Plenty of late evening sunny spells on Monday and then some clear spells for a time overnight. However, turning a little cloudier from the northwest towards dawn. Another mild night to come. Minimum temperature 13C.

Another fine, settled day on Tuesday with early patchy low cloud breaking to give plenty of sunshine, and feeling very warm. Some high cloud may turn skies a little hazy at times. Maximum temperature 25C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Mostly fine initially with warm sunny periods, and with winds staying light. Showers, possibly thundery overnight, clearing during Thursday. Then fresher with bright spells and showers to end the week.

Scotland

• Monday and Tuesday

A dry but rather cloudy day. Some hazy spells of sunshine at times, these mainly in the east during the morning and later in the day. Feeling warm in sunnier spells. Maximum temperature 20C. A largely dry evening and night on Monday. Mostly cloudy, although some spells of evening sunshine and clear spells to start the night are possible. Minimum temperature 14C.

A largely dry and rather cloudy morning on Tuesday. Cloud breaking up to give increasingly widespread sunshine in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 22C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Dry with light winds on Wednesday and Thursday, feeling warm in sunny spells. Turning breezier with outbreaks of rain spreading east on Friday.

Northern Ireland

• Monday and Tuesday

A mostly dry but rather cloudy day, although a few brighter spells are likely at times. Cloud will thicken in the west late afternoon, with some patchy light rain reaching the far west by the end of the day. Maximum temperature 20 °C. A cloudy evening and start to the night. Patchy light rain in the west dies out as it moves east. Clear spells following later in the night. Minimum temperature 8C.

A dry day on Tuesday. Rather cloudy, particularly in the south. However, cloud is likely to break up at times in the north, giving the occasional sunny spell. Maximum temperature 21C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Dry with light winds on Wednesday. A chance of showers on Thursday. Feeling warm in sunny spells. Turning breezier with outbreaks of rain for a time on Friday.

Wales

• Monday and Tuesday

Another very warm day on Monday with plenty of sunshine, though perhaps turning somewhat cloudier from the northwest through the afternoon, with the sunshine possibly becoming hazier as a result. Sea breezes developing, but winds remaining light in most areas. Maximum temperature 26C.

Plenty of late-evening sunny spells before a calm night with some prolonged clear spells, where a few pockets of mist may form in the countryside. Another mild night to come. Minimum temperature 14C.

Another fine, settled day on Tuesday with lots of very warm sunshine. Patchy cloud in the northwest, and a build-up of high cloud may turn skies a little hazy at times elsewhere. Maximum temperature 27C.

• Wednesday to Friday

Very warm sunshine again on Wednesday, though a chance of showers developing, which could turn thundery. Showers should clear eastwards on Thursday. Fresher on Friday with bright spells and showers.