UK weather: Heatwave to peak this weekend as temperatures soar to 34C

Comparing heatwaves each year is a little tricky because they are location dependant and the current Met Office heatwave definition has only been in place since 2019.

A heatwave occurring a some point during the summer is fairly common.

And while this heatwave is being highlighted as the third, Scotland and Northern Ireland missed out on the heatwave at the end of June and beginning of July.

The last time we experienced three heatwaves in the UK was 2022. This was also when the UK saw the highest temperature on record with 40.3C at Coningsby.

In terms of ‘number of heatwave days’ – when at least one UK location met the current threshold temperature – up to 10 July, there have been 25 days in 2025.

Only 1989 and 2018 had more ‘heatwave days’ up to this point at 26 and 34 days respectively, according to data from weather website Starlings Roost Weather, external.

While we might expect hotter weather for at least a time during the summer, temperatures over the next few days are around 7 to 10C above average for mid-July.

Climate scientists are clear that heatwaves will become more frequent, more intense and last longer with climate change.