Hot air from Europe and Africa could bring the hottest day of the year on Friday, with the heatwave expected to last until Sunday
A heatwave could be hitting the UK on Thursday, with some parts of the country seeing in temperatures hotter than some of the most popular tourist destinations within the Caribbean.
Temperatures are expected to rise as high as 37C (98.6F) by the end of the week; this is caused by hot air that will be moving in from the south of Europe.
This means that parts of the nation could be seeing warmer conditions than in destinations such as Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas.
This comes after in the Scottish city of Aberdeen, bars, restaurants and cafes are being shut once again under the reimposition of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
The hot temperatures are expected to be lasting from Thursday until Sunday, which has prompted the Met Office to issue an official health alert.
Britain could pass its official threshold for the classification of a heatwave, which requires three days of temperatures over 25C (77F) across the majority of the country and 28C (82.4F) in London.
Forecasters have said that London and the South East may see Friday being the hottest temperature of the year on record so far, beating the 31st of July when temperatures reached 37.8C (100.04F) at Heathrow in west London, which was also the UK’s third highest temperature on record.
Thunder, showers and cooler conditions are expected to bring an end to the nation’s heatwave on Monday. There will also be an increase of the threat of thunderstorms and intensive downpours as the country pulls in the very warm continental air.
Met Office forecaster Oli Claydon said: “There’s a strong likelihood London and the South East could see a heatwave this week, with four or even five consecutive days of incredibly warm temperatures reaching a high of 37C on Friday.”
“It is the result of southerly winds moving from Europe and parts of northern Africa, which will push the temperatures up.”
The highest UK temperature remains 38.7C (102F), which was recorded on the 25th of July 2019 in Cambridge.
Thursday is expected to begin overcast for the majority of the nation, but it will be a dry day for all. When the sun starts to break through in the afternoon, temperatures could reach 30C (86F) in London.
This comes after PizzaExpress has said that it could close around 67 of its restaurants throughout the UK, putting up to 1,100 jobs at risk. The chain, which also revealed it has put itself up for sale, blamed the move on the “significantly more challenging environment” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite the high temperatures in the South East on Friday, rain is expected in the northwest of Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland with highs of 22C (71.6F).
Wales and the North and South West of England will be sunny, with temperatures reaching around 25C (77F).
Mr Claydon added: “Saturday will likely be another hot day for southern and central parts of the UK, with heatwave conditions potentially continuing in parts of southern and southeast England.”
“Sunday should be the last of the heatwave conditions, before cold air moves in overnight leading to some thundery showers on Monday.”
