A scorching African plume will sweep into Britain next week via the Continent which is currently melting in unprecedented heat. Southern Britain will bake in the highest temperatures while a cooler breeze in Scotland and the north eases the blowtorch roasting. London and the southeast could top 35C by the end of next week with highs elsewhere widely expected in the mid-20Cs.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “Around the middle of next week we expect to see a plume of air coming up though France from North Africa and into Britain.
“This has the potential to push temperatures into the low 30Cs in southern parts of the country, possibly hitting 35C.
“We are certainly into record territory if this comes off, with heatwave temperatures possibly lasting through to the weekend.
“This is the first major heatwave of the season.”
The mercury will rocket from Wednesday with the peak of the temperatures expected through the end of the week.
Next week could bring some of the hottest June temperatures for more than a century as thermometers skyrocket under blazing sunshine.
Highs between 30C and 35C are forecast in parts from Wednesday to Thursday with warm weather stretching into the weekend.
The current record for June 15 is 30.7C recorded at Brampford Speke, Devon, in 1896, while for June 16 it is 31C recorded in Southampton in 1893, and for June 17, 33.9C captured at Little Massingham, Norfolk, in 1917.
Southern Britain, including London, will see the highest temperatures while cloud cover further north will cap the soaring mercury.
The region may also cool down under some heavy downpours and blustery winds, according to the Met Office.
Meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “Between Wednesday and the following weekend we can expect the wettest and windiest weather towards the northwest and the driest weather towards the southeast.
“It is in the northwest we will see the wettest and driest conditions while in the southeast it will be drier and brighter.
“Western isles and Shetland and Glasgow I don’t think you’ll be enjoying it if you are a fan of hot weather.”
Elsewhere, however, Brits are gearing up to crack out the sun cream and fire up the barbecues.
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “From the middle of next week temperatures will start to rise significantly across southern England possibly pushing the 30C mark.”Coral is offering 4-5 for this summer to be the hottest since records began with evens on 2022 beating the UK record of 38.7C.
Spokesman John Hll said: “The UK should be sizzling in the sun next week, and with temperatures set to continue to rise, we have slashed the odds on this month ending as a record hot June.
“The odds are even shorter on this summer being the hottest ever in the UK, while we could also see the highest ever UK temperature of 38.7C being broken.”
High pressure building over Britain will further drive hot weather, according to Weathertrending meteorologist John Hammond.
He said: “The south and east will see the lion’s share of any warm sunshine.
“And there’s an emerging signal now that, for a time, a ridge of high pressure will edge more widely across southern and central areas, allowing a longer drier, warmer spell later in the week.”
