Warm weather will continue across parts of England on Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach 28C in London and the South East. The spell follows a record-breaking period of heat, although forecasters say conditions will become cooler and more unsettled from Sunday onwards.
Large areas of the UK are still set to experience above-average temperatures at the start of the weekend. According to the Met Office, southern parts of England will see the highest values, while Scotland and northern England are expected to record temperatures ranging from 15C to 23C.
The latest forecast comes after exceptionally high temperatures earlier in the week. According to the Met Office, temperatures reached 35.1C at Kew Gardens in west London on Tuesday, marking the peak of the recent heatwave.
Warm Conditions Continue after Record-Breaking Heatwave
Saturday is expected to bring another day of warm sunshine to many parts of England before weather systems moving in from the west begin to change conditions later in the day.
According to the Met Office, outbreaks of rain are forecast to spread eastwards across Scotland and Northern Ireland before extending into England and Wales during the evening and overnight period. Ahead of the rain, many areas are expected to enjoy sunny spells and relatively high temperatures.
The warm conditions have also placed pressure on local infrastructure. On Thursday evening, around 8,000 South East Water customers in and around Whitstable were left without water supplies after storage reservoirs reached what the company described as a “critical level”. Images showed queues forming at a bottled water collection point near the Kent town as residents sought alternative supplies.
South East Water urged customers to use water only for essential purposes such as drinking, washing and cooking while supply issues continued.
Rain, Showers and Lower Temperatures Expected from Sunday
Forecasters say the prolonged spell of very hot weather is now beginning to break down, bringing a return to more typical late-spring conditions.
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “We’re now starting to see this spell of very hot weather break down.” He added that as temperatures ease, conditions will become more changeable, with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms.
According to the Met Office, temperatures are expected to return to near-average levels by Sunday. Northern and western areas are likely to see more cloud and rain, while brighter intervals are expected across eastern and south-eastern parts of the country.
The forecast for Sunday indicates a mixture of sunshine and showers across the UK, with cooler air affecting all regions. Conditions are then expected to remain unsettled into Monday and Tuesday, with heavy showers, longer periods of rain and the possibility of brisk winds.
