UK weather: Nation set for weekend heatwave as temperatures soar close to 30C

‘Plenty of sunshine’ in store for the weekend, Met Office says

London is expected to see high temperatures nearing 30C over the weekend (AFP via Getty Images)

A heatwave is expected to roll in across the UK this weekend, with temperatures set to reach nearly 30C.

High pressure from the Azores will bring warm, settled and sunny weather across most of the UK over the weekend, with temperatures soaring across the Midlands and the southeast.

Some parts of the country are set to see temperatures rise well into next week, with London expected to see the warmest weather. Forecast highs in the capital will be close to 30C  from Saturday through next Thursday, with lows not set to drop below 15C.

According to the Met Office, the weekend will see “plenty of sunshine” with high pressure bringing a lot of “dry and settled weather across the country.” Southern coastal districts may see periods with mist and low cloud, but temperatures will remain high, and the northwest may see cloudier conditions, occasional rain clouds and strong winds, they say.

The Met Office tweeted that high or very high UV levels were expected in many areas across the UK in the coming days, and urged the public to remember sun protection.

A heatwave is officially defined by the temperature reaching a certain threshold for at least three days in a row, with the specific threshold varying by region across the UK.

In London, the temperature must reach at least 28C for three days in a row. In the Midlands, East Anglia and the home counties, it must reach 27C. In Lincolnshire, Cheshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, the threshold is 26C. And in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the southwest it must reach 25C.