Britons are set for another burst of warm weather next week as forecasters have predicted highs of up to 28C in parts of England.
The prospect of late-summer sunshine comes as scientists from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed August 2026 was the world’s joint-hottest month ever recorded, tying with July 2023 for the highest global temperatures in the historical record.
While this week has brought cloud, rain and cooler conditions across much of the country, weather data suggests a significant upturn is on the way.
GFS forecasting charts indicate by the middle of next week, temperatures could climb well above seasonal norms, with large parts of southern and eastern England turning notably warmer.
According to GFS model maps, as many as 24 English counties could see the thermometer reach 27C or higher during the coming week.
By Tuesday, eastern and south-eastern parts of England may hit 27C, while much of central, southern and western England could see 26C.
Wednesday looks even warmer, with potential peaks of 28C in western and south-eastern England and 27C readings spread widely across central and southern regions.
The counties in line for the highest temperatures are concentrated across a broad swathe of England, from Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Essex in the south-east to Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in the east.
Further west, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Worcestershire also feature on the list, alongside Midlands counties such as Warwickshire and Leicestershire.
Temperature anomaly charts for the period show England and Wales shaded in red and orange, signalling readings above the seasonal average.
The Met Office forecasts drier, more settled spells should emerge from next week, particularly across southern areas.
Later in September, high pressure could take a firmer grip near the UK, potentially delivering more widespread calm conditions away from the far north.
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While changeable weather will persist at times, with showers and occasional strong winds arriving off the North Atlantic, especially in northern and western regions, forcasters said there is “scope for some rather warm days at times, along with occasional relatively cool nights”.
Looking further ahead, Met Office charts suggest London could reach 24C by Monday 21 September, with continental high pressure drawing warm air across the Channel.
Some 24 areas may enjoy 22C or above on that date, with the West Midlands marking the northern extent of the warmest conditions.
The Copernicus findings revealed that global temperatures in August stood 1.65C above the estimated 1850-1900 average, breaching the critical 1.5C threshold for the first time since November 2025.
Sea surface temperatures outside polar regions also hit record levels for August, reaching 21.07C.
Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at ECMWF, said: “August 2026 was a remarkable month in the global climate record. It was both the warmest August and the warmest month ever recorded.”
Severe drought struck the UK, France, Hungary, Romania and Serbia during the summer, while major European rivers including the Rhine and Danube saw exceptionally low flows.
Climate transition minister Katie White described the record-breaking summer as “a brutal reminder that we’re not waiting for climate change to arrive in Britain, we’re living in the middle of it.”
Prof Friederike Otto of Imperial College London warned that until fossil fuel burning ceases, “these record-shattering months will simply keep on coming.”
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