UK weather: Heatwave to stay until mid-August as schools break up for balmy start to holidays

Change to unsettled weather not expected until the second half of next month

Elliott Duko (R) with Charles Keen (L) and Harry O'Shaughnesy (C) cool off by jumping into river Thames in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

As children across the country were greeted by a balmy start to the summer holidays today, UK forecasters have said the British heatwave is likely to last well into August.

A high of 30C (86F) is expected for the south of England today, possibly topping yesterday’s recorded high of 29.9C (85F) in Solent, Hampshire.

While the heat may occasionally be broken by the odd summer thunderstorm here and there, it will be largely fine and very warm across the vast majority of Britain – even reaching 28C (82F) in the Scottish Highlands.

And we can expect plenty more messages of advice like this one from Public Health England, as the heatwave is predicted to persist at least until mid-August.

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The hot weather this week will bring a risk of slow-moving, heavy downpours, said Met Office forecaster Emma Corrigan, though no official extreme weather warnings have been issued.

“During next week, lengthy periods of fine, dry and warm weather are likely,” the Met Office said.

The longer-term forecast is for “recent generally settled conditions to persist [into mid-August], with mostly fine and dry weather continuing across more southern parts”. “Temperatures should remain above average for most, possibly turning locally hot for a time in the south,” forecasters added.

Billy Payne, a forecaster with Meteogroup, said August will “get off to a fairly dry and settled start” with a build-up of high pressure.

A crowded beach at Cullercoats, North Tyneside as temperatures hit the high 20s on Tuesday 22 July, 2014 (PA)

And Eddy Carroll, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The rest of July will see temperatures into the mid to high twenties in places and, although there is a risk of showers, for most the fine, largely dry and warm weather looks like it could well persist into August.”

The continued warm conditions could mean bad news for allergy-sufferers, and Allergy UK clinical director Maureen Jenkins told the Telegraph the charity had seen an increased number of callers seeking advice over the past weeks.

People sunbath on the bank of the river Thames in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

“We have seen a very mild and wet winter and spring, and we are also seeing a mild summer so there is a lot of pollen around,” she said.

This weekend will see more than two million British people heading overseas to start their summer holidays, the travel organisation Abta estimated.

But the recent hot weather will also see plenty encouraged to take trips within the UK. The most popular regions among visitors are the South-west (28 per cent), the south coast (21 per cent), Wales (20 per cent) and Scotland (19 per cent).