Met Office warns much of the UK likely to be in heatwave conditions by the weekend

The Met Office said on 16 June 2025 that much of the UK will be in heatwave conditions by the coming weekend, with heat building through the week as southerly winds draw warmer air from continental Europe across the country¹. In an update on 19 June, it forecast the highest temperatures on Saturday, when 34°C could be reached in eastern England².

Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave threshold for that location. Across much of the north and west of the UK this threshold is 25ºC, but across Greater London and the Home Counties it is higher, at 28ºC¹. The Met Office said heatwave thresholds could be reached by Saturday across much of the Midlands, low-lying areas bordering the Peak District and even parts of east Wales¹. Its later update said the low 30s Celsius were forecast fairly widely across England on Saturday, with the more uncomfortable heat initially in northern and western areas, where the air will be more humid despite somewhat lower temperatures².

The Met Office also issued a Yellow Severe Weather warning for thunderstorms for the Midlands, northern England and parts of north Wales, running from 15:00 on Saturday to 04:00 on Sunday. It said scattered thunderstorms may develop on Saturday afternoon and move northeastwards, clearing to the North Sea by the early hours of Sunday, and that the most intense could produce frequent lightning, large hail, gusty winds and heavy downpours, which may lead to some surface water impacts in places². It said temperatures are likely to peak in the low 30s Celsius this weekend before easing sometime early next week, and that some forecast models allow temperatures to rise into the mid 30s by Monday, a lower-likelihood scenario¹.

Why it matters for households

The UK Health Security Agency issued an Amber Heat Health Alert for the whole of England. The Met Office said the alert is aimed at the health and social care sector, the responder community, the voluntary and community sector and government departments when adverse temperatures are likely to impact on the health and wellbeing of the population². Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said heat can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions, and that it is important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun². UKHSA added that the forecast high temperatures may increase demand for remote health care services and affect the ability of services to be delivered because of heat effects on the workforce².

The Met Office said high pollen levels will bring challenges for hay fever sufferers and UV levels will also be high². The British Veterinary Association president, Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux, said vets see pets suffering heat-related problems each summer, including heatstroke, breathing problems, burnt paw pads and sunburn, some of which can be fatal, and advised access to fresh drinking water, good ventilation and shade at all times, walking dogs in the early morning or late evening rather than the heat of the day, and never leaving them inside a car, caravan or conservatory even for a little while². The hot weather preparation checklist sets out household steps for hot spells, and the Met Office thresholds explain how heatwave conditions are defined for each area.

What happens next

High pressure is expected to move away from the UK into early next week, resulting in temperatures falling, though the Met Office said there is uncertainty over how quickly this happens and over the peak temperatures experienced¹. It said temperatures will ease from the west on Sunday as fresher air arrives from the Atlantic, with westerly conditions, cloud and outbreaks of rain expected to continue through next week alongside brighter and drier spells². The Met Office also reported that its scientists published a study the previous day finding the chance of exceeding 40°C in the UK is now over 20 times more likely than in the 1960s, with a 50-50 chance of seeing a 40°C day again in the next 12 years²; the guide to rising UK temperatures covers the wider trend.