Britain is set to reach 35C as an amber heat alert comes into force across 29 countries.
The peak of the heatwave is expected to hit the country today, with Southeast England experiencing the highest temperatures.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in collaboration with the Met Office, issued a warning for the East Midlands, South East, East of England and London.
If the weather hits 35C, this will mark the seventh day this year that the UK has exceeded this temperature.
However, the Met Office’s Deputy Chief Forecaster Gregory Wolverson has said the heatwave will be “short-lived”.
He said: “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the southeast.
“By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30°Cs, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the southeast to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.”
Under the amber alert, the UKHSA warns significant impacts are “likely” due to the high temperatures.
The alerts flag a likely rise in deaths, especially among the over-65s, along with wider effects on younger people.
Hospitals and care homes could also see indoor temperatures climb above safe limits, while the risk of water-related incidents, including cold-water shock and drowning, is expected to grow.
The UKHSA has warned hot weather can raise the risk of heart attacks, strokes, lung problems and other illnesses.
Elderly people, babies and young children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies struggle to regulate temperature effectively.
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Around 550 people are thought to have died from heat-related causes in England and Wales during the heatwaves in May this year.
The forecast heatwave follows record-breaking dry conditions already recorded across England and Wales.
Wales has officially entered drought status, having received less than two per cent of its expected rainfall so far this month, putting the country on course for its driest July in almost 190 years.
Meanwhile, parts of southern, central and eastern England remain in “prolonged dry weather” status, the stage before an official drought declaration.
However, Britain faces a split forecast today, with the Met Office warning of rain across northern areas.
A band of rain is travelling across Northern Ireland and into central Scotland this morning.
The rain will continue through the evening and into the start of the night, which could turn heavy at times.
Mr Wolverson said: “Elsewhere, the weather will be more changeable, and the change to cooler, more unsettled conditions will arrive sooner from the north and west, with a mix of sunshine and showers.
“Across northern areas, it is possible there will be heavier showers with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms through the week.”
Northern Scotland is expected to stay largely dry, though a few outbreaks of rain and some patches of sunshine are possible.
Much of the rain across Scotland will clear overnight, but fresh rain is forecast to move in from the west during the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Western Scotland will experience some showers then, with some areas further south also being affected.
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