UK hot weather: Expert verdict on exact date 35C Mediterranean blast could scorch Britain

A weather expert has given their verdict on exactly when the UK could reach temperatures of up to 35C.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Senior Meteorologist at British Weather Services Jim Dale revealed that the UK is unlikely to see such scorching temperatures as currently being felt by Greece, but that Britain would still get some heat this summer.

The European holiday hotspot is currently in the midst of a heatwave, with 44.5C temperatures being felt this week.

Mr Dale said the UK could soon see temperatures as high as 30C within a matter of weeks and swap wet weather for dry weather.

Mr Dale explained: “The interconnection between Greece and what we might receive is not a direct one. We will not suddenly import their heat. What I would say is that there is every chance that we will move in that general direction as the summer moves on.”

Mr Dale added: “We will get a taste of higher summer as early as next week. Once we get through to next Monday or Tuesday we will start to see something that we haven’t seen all summer long.

“Temperatures in the south and south east of 26C and 27C. It’s definitely moving up, there will be a few blots of thunderstorms along the way. As we move into and through July, August and the new summer month of September, I think there’s every chance we will start to incorporate some of that heat out of Africa.

“Anything we get in a heatwave category will be from that direction. Given the fact that we’ve had a very mixed and cool June…we will share in the heat that will come from Africa through Europe. I fully expect us to breach 30C comfortably somewhere in the first 15 days of July. I would also expect a 35C potentially.”

“That sort of temperature, we’re almost swapping one difficult type of weather for another which will be rain for overheating and that is a strong possibility as we move through the summer months. I would be on the side that is for more likely than not.”

Mr Dale also commented on whether the UK could experience any wildfires as a result of the 30C heat that could hit later in the summer.

On this, Mr Dale warned that if there is a risk it would raise its head later in the summer. He said: “There’s extreme weather in the USA and they’re going into huge heatwave and wildfire territory.

“We won’t get them straight away because the ground is too green and wet. I would suggest that we could start to get into wildfires later rather than soon because it won’t take long for everything to dry out.

“It’s not an immediate threat, but in the longer term as things dry up it will become a more obvious threat as we go towards mid to end summertime. We will join in with many parts of the world that are experiencing big heat warnings.”

Mr Dale’s verdict comes as Greece swelters through extreme temperatures during an early-summer heatwave that has seen temperatures skyrocket above 40C.

British tourists have subsequently been warned to stay vigilant during the unprecedented heat which has resulted in multiple deaths and several cases of missing people.

Urgent warnings have been issued to travellers, Greek state TV meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos said: “In the 20th century we never had a heatwave before June 19. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before June 15.”

This year’s extreme heat is the earliest a heatwave has been recorded in Greek history, once which is defined as temperatures above 38C for a minimum of three days in a row.

Met Office five-day forecast

Today:

Dry with sunny spells for many. Light showers across much of Scotland. Showers turning heavy and thundery across much of central and northern England. Winds light and feeling pleasant in the sunshine. A little rain possible in the far southeast.

Tonight:

Showers across Scotland and central England gradually fade, turning dry. Cloudy in most places, staying mild but turning chillier under clear skies for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Wednesday:

Cloudy to start the day in the east and south with the odd light showers. Breezy across northern Scotland but elsewhere dry with sunny spells where it will feel warm.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Largely dry with sunny spells for most, although a few showers possible. Some rain in the north on Friday. Feeling warmer in the sunshine with light winds.