UK heatwave continues with no significant rain for a week

The UK's heatwave weather forecast shows no significant rain for at least a week as high pressure keeps most areas dry. Temperatures could climb to 33°C in southern England, while yellow heat-health alerts cover seven regions. Some locations may approach a month without measurable rainfall.

Key Takeaways

• High pressure will dominate the UK forecast for at least a week, with little or no widespread rain expected.
• Temperatures may reach 32–33°C in southern England by midweek as heatwave conditions continue.
• Yellow heat-health alerts are active across seven English regions from 14 to 17 July.
• Some areas have already gone 20–26 consecutive days without measurable rainfall.
• Isolated showers or thunderstorms may appear but are unlikely to end the dry spell.

Why is the UK heatwave forecast staying dry?

High pressure will remain close to the UK for the rest of this week, keeping widespread rainfall at bay, according to BBC Weather. Most areas are expected to remain largely, or completely, dry.

A few showers and thunderstorms could develop in isolated spots, particularly in southern England on Wednesday and Thursday. However, forecasters say these will be sporadic, and many people will not see any rain this week.

Looking further ahead, some computer models suggest high pressure is likely to remain in charge throughout next week—and possibly even beyond. That extended outlook is why the heatwave weather forecast offers little relief for parched regions.

How dry has July been so far?

Large swathes of England have so far recorded 0% of the rainfall they would normally expect in July. Wales and Northern Ireland are also far below average.

Wisley in Surrey has gone 26 consecutive days without measurable wet weather. Herstmonceux in East Sussex has recorded 24 dry days, while Cardington in Bedfordshire, Wittering in Cambridgeshire, Odiham in Hampshire and Heathrow in London have each gone 20 days.

The first 11 days of July brought most places less than 20% of their usual monthly rainfall. Odiham typically sees a July average of 50.8mm—yet some locations have seen none at all. Several areas are on course to have gone almost a month without measurable rain.

What temperatures are forecast this week?

After a slightly fresher start to the week, temperatures are set to climb again. Southern England could return to 32 or 33°C (90–91°F) by midweek.

Many parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England are expected to reach the mid to high twenties. Heatwave conditions are likely to continue for several more days in places, probably reaching a total duration of two weeks in a few locations.

For context on how forecasting systems track these prolonged events, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage of data-driven environmental monitoring.

Which heat-health alerts are in place?

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat-health alerts for seven regions of England, according to GOV.UK. Alerts run from 9am on Tuesday 14 July until 9pm on Friday 17 July across the North West, South West, South East, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England and London.

There is no alert in place for the North East or Yorkshire and the Humber regions. A yellow alert means forecast temperatures above 25°C in parts of the South West might affect health and social care services and pose risks to vulnerable people.

The alert comes after research from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested more than 2,700 people in England and Wales might have died from heat-related causes during heatwaves in May and June. A UKHSA spokesperson said the weather could lead to a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.