UK weather forecast: Heatwave to give way to rain and cooler temperatures, forecasters warn

Hot weather expected to return later in the month

Britain’s current heatwave will give way to cooler temperatures and possible showers in the coming week, weather forecasters have warned.

The mercury – which climbed to 33C in the south on Sunday – will drop to the mid-20s in most parts of the UK by Tuesday, with some rain a possibility.

“Northerly winds will be coming in and beginning to freshen things up,” Becky Mitchell, meteorologist with the Met Office, told The Independent.

“Temperatures will still be above average, in the low- and mid-20s, but it will be notably cooler than last week when we were regularly seeing 30C. There is a chance of isolated showers in the north and east.”

Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north east, she added, would cool down quickest, while the south west, notably Bristol, could potentially see 30C again on Monday. But even there temperatures will fall by Tuesday.

Most areas should be clear on Wednesday evening, when thousands of people are expected to watch England’s World Cup semi final match against Croatia on outdoor screens.

By next weekend bands of rain could be coming in from the west increasing the chance of persistent showers - good news for water companies, including United Utilities and Thames Water, which had this weekend warned they were struggling to meet increased demand.

But there is every chance the heatwave could return again by the end of July, said Ms Mitchell.

“It’s not out the question by any means,” she said.

“People have been comparing this summer to 1976 and, while there have not been any records broken, we are likely to see more hot weather towards the end of the month.”