Parts of the UK could see a return to heatwave conditions heading into next week, as drought conditions threaten agriculture after a summer of dry, warm weather.
From this weekend, changeable weather and high pressure could bring a return to higher temperatures, which could see the heatwave threshold crossed once again after three already this summer.
The Met Office said: “As we approach the turn of the month, there are hints that high pressure could return for a time, which would mean dry conditions resuming, especially in the south.”
It adds that temperatures during this period will be “near or above normal, warmest in the south, and perhaps becoming very warm again by the start of August.”
The year’s first heatwave brought a record-high temperature for the month of 35.1C in May, recorded in Kew Gardens, London.
A further heatwave in June again broke the record for the month’s hottest ever day, when the temperature reached 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk.
The most recent UK heatwave began on July 4, with some parts of the country remaining in official heatwave conditions for a full fortnight.
London is expected to see temperatures reach 25C tomorrow, with Friday being the hottest, edging towards a sweltering 29C.
The weekend will look to be mildly cooler with temperatures forecast to reach highs of 25C, however next week is going to get much hotter.
Wednesday next week will exceed 28C, while Thursday is set to reach 29C, with highs continuing throughout the weekend.
In London, the temperature must reach 28C for three or more consecutive days to meet the local threshold for a heatwave.
With the fourth heatwave of the summer around the corner, parts of southern, central and eastern England are now close to drought, according to the National Drought Group.
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As of Monday, East Anglia, the West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and London, Wessex, Thames, Solent and the South Downs, are in “prolonged dry weather” – the stage before drought.
A further 10.1 million people are to be impacted by a hosepipe ban, as Thames Water announced a hosepipe ban for all its customers from Thursday.
The latest announcement means that more than 20 million people will be living under hosepipe bans by the end of this week.
It comes as the lack of rainfall, impact on agriculture and wildlife, likelihood of wildfires, and low reserves of water and river levels means demand for water has outgrown supply.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged people not to use disposable barbecues over fears of the dry heat leading to fires.
The Metropolitan Police is worried about excessive calls, while NHS England has also said many of its ambulance services will be under “sustained pressure” due to the extreme heat.
The Met has urged people to avoid getting in touch for non-emergencies amid a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather.
Some climatologists predict the temperatures the UK has been experiencing could become the new normal for summer over the next few decades as a result of climate change.
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