The extended period of record-breaking high temperatures across the UK is drawing to a close, with a significant shift towards cooler and more unsettled weather anticipated by Sunday. The Met Office has prolonged its amber extreme heat warning for south-east England and East Anglia until 9:00 BST on Sunday, as these regions are expected to endure another day of scorching conditions.
While many parts of the UK experienced temperatures in the mid to high teens Celsius on Saturday morning, eastern England remained around 20C, with isolated overnight thunderstorms. The high-pressure system responsible for the recent heatwave is gradually moving eastwards, allowing low pressure from the north-west to introduce Atlantic weather fronts. This change will bring a shift in wind direction from southerly to westerly, heralding the arrival of cooler air.
For Saturday, Scotland is forecast to see a mix of sunshine and scattered showers, which could be heavy and thundery in places. Northern Ireland will also experience showery rain alongside sunny intervals. Across the north and west of the UK, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, western Wales, and parts of northern and south-western England, temperatures are expected to peak in the low twenties Celsius, accompanied by a moderate to fresh south-westerly wind. However, central, eastern, and south-east England will remain exceptionally hot, with afternoon temperatures potentially reaching the high twenties or low thirties Celsius, under lighter winds and strong sunshine, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms.
Sunday marks the definitive end of the heatwave for the entire country. Weather fronts will move eastwards overnight into Sunday, bringing widespread cloud and scattered showers, some of which could be heavy, particularly across southern England. Behind these fronts, cooler air will sweep across the UK. Scotland and Northern Ireland can expect temperatures in the mid to high teens Celsius, potentially reaching the low twenties in eastern Scotland. England and Wales will generally see temperatures in the low twenties, with the extreme heat in the east and south-east finally subsiding to the mid-twenties, though East Anglia could still see highs of around 27C.
Looking further ahead, the Met Office indicates that while this heatwave concludes, the summer is far from over. With meteorological autumn not beginning until 1 September, long-term forecasts for the next two months suggest a likelihood of further significant bursts of heat, with overall temperatures expected to remain above average. The Met Office also notes that a hotter summer is now twice as likely as it was at the beginning of the century, aligning with broader climate trends.