Met Office gives verdict on exact date the heatwave is going to end
The UK has basked in record-breaking temperatures over recent days with the hot weather set to continue this week. However, the Met Office has revealed when the heatwave will end with the mercury set to drop below the 25C mark across the UK.
The forecaster recorded highs of 34.8C at Kew Gardens, London, on Monday (May 25) with even hotter conditions expected across London, Cambridgshire and the Home Counties on Tuesday. According to the Met Office, the heat will then continue with highs of 31C on Wednesday, 30C on Thursday, 27C on Friday and 28C on Saturday. Meanwhile, a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) amber heat health alert remains in place for the West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East, and London until Wednesday (May 27). A separate yellow heat health alert has also been issued for the North East, North West, South West, and Yorkshire and the Humber regions.
However, the Met Office expects the heatwave to end next Sunday (May 31). The forecaster sets the official heatwave threshold, which must be met for at least three consecutive days, at 25C for Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of Wales, and northern England. For the remainder of England and south-east Wales, the benchmark rises to 26C or 27C.
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Weather maps from the Met Office show highs of 24C in London at 4pm next Sunday. Meanwhile, other parts of England will see the mercury in the early 20s with conditions dropping as low as 18C in Glasgow and Plymouth.
The evening will be cooler again, with temperatures of 23C forecast in London at 7pm. It will be 20C in Manchester, 18C in Cardiff, 17C in Plymouth and 17C in Glasgow at the same time.
The recorded 34.8C at Kew Gardens on Monday is the highest daily maximum temperature recorded in meteorological spring (March, April and May). It is also the highest temperature recorded in May, topping the 32.8C that was reached in 1922 and 1944.
The Met Office confirmed the record was also beaten at Heathrow, Greater London (34.4C); Northolt, Greater London (34.2C); Teddington Bushy Park, Middlesex (34.0C), Benson, Oxfordshire (33.6C); Wisley, Surrey (33.3C); Reading University, Berkshire (33.2C); Wellesbourne, Warwickshire (33.2C); Cippenham, Berkshire (33.0C); Brize Norton, Oxfordshire (32.9C); Charlwood, Surrey (32.9C); Houghton Hall, Norfolk (32.9C) and Santon Downham, Suffolk (32.9C). Meanwhile, the record was equalled at Marham, in Norfolk, and Woburn, in Bedfordshire.
Met Office Chief Operational Meteorologist Dan Suri said: "We've now provisionally broken the spring and May temperature record. Meteorologically, what we've seen is the influence of warmth building under an area of high pressure near the UK allowing exceptional heat to build allowing maximum and minimum temperatures to reach levels not previously reported at this time of year.
"Further heat is in the forecast for much of England and Wales, with similar temperatures forecast for Tuesday. High pressure is forecast to gradually lose its influence later in the week, though maximum temperatures will still remain high and in the low 30°Cs for some mid-week and high 20°Cs late this week."