Second UK Heatwave Weather Forecast 2025: 34°C Next Week

The UK just wrapped up its hottest summer on record, and now the Met Office is already tracking another round of extreme heat. With temperatures climbing back toward 34°C and thunderstorms waiting in the wings, here’s what you need to know about the second UK heatwave of 2025.

Forecasted Peak Temperature: 34°C ·
UK June Record: 35.6°C ·
Summer 2025 Status: Warmest on record ·
Expected Temps Range: 14°C to 22°C ·
Met Office Prediction: Hotter than Greece next week

These figures pull from Met Office records and official published data.

What is a heatwave?

The UK technically doesn’t declare a “heatwave” until temperatures hit specific thresholds that vary by region. According to the Met Office, the thresholds are 28°C for London and the southeast, 27°C for the Midlands, and 25°C for Wales, northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. When these temperatures hold for three consecutive days or longer, official heatwave conditions are triggered, which automatically activates Heat Health Alerts from the UK Health Security Agency.

The distinction matters because heatwave status isn’t just about how hot it feels—it determines government response protocols, hospital load management, and public health messaging. Without formal thresholds being met, fewer resources are mobilized regardless of how uncomfortable conditions become.

The implication is that public health response hinges on official designations rather than actual temperatures, meaning vulnerable populations may face risks before formal alerts activate.

Heatwave threshold UK

• 28°C: London and southeast England
• 27°C: Midlands
• 25°C: Wales, northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland

What temperature is considered a heatwave in the UK

It’s the duration as much as the peak that defines a heatwave. The Met Office threshold must be exceeded for at least three days in a row before official protocols kick in. However, health impacts can begin well before thresholds are reached, particularly for vulnerable groups like the elderly, those with chronic lung conditions, and outdoor workers.

The Met Office notes that heat impacts lung conditions like asthma and COPD even at lower temperatures, making the risk profile less straightforward than a simple number.

Is there a heatwave coming next week?

Yes, the Met Office is forecasting another major heat spike. Their mid-August forecast placed peak temperatures at 34°C in the West Midlands and east Wales, expected Tuesday through Wednesday of that week. The forecast explicitly noted conditions could become hotter than Greece—a striking comparison given Greece is typically one of Europe’s hottest destinations.

Heatwave UK next week

The Met Office’s 10-day forecast from mid-August predicted more heat pushing across the UK, with the main peak hitting around mid-week. Confidence was high on the timing, though meteorologists noted uncertainty creeping in for the latter portion of that forecast window.

Second UK heatwave details

By August 2025, the UK had already recorded four official heatwaves during summer. The second heatwave was part of a series that saw heat conditions repeatedly building and rebuilding across the season. The Met Office’s deep-dive post from June 2025 documented the first incoming heatwave with rising temperatures, and by mid-July, three heatwaves had already been confirmed.

When is the next heatwave UK 2025?

The fourth heatwave of summer 2025 was already underway by mid-August, with temperatures climbing above regional thresholds. The peak arrived mid-week with 34°C recorded in the West Midlands and east Wales, accompanied by increasing thunderstorm risk heading into the evening.

What this means: the heatwave season is not a single event but an emerging pattern that authorities must treat as the new normal.

Next heatwave uk september

According to the Independent, no heatwave is expected in early September 2025, with temperatures expected to settle into the low 20s°C. This would mark a notable break from the sustained heat of summer, though the long-term trend suggests such breaks may become less reliable.

UK heatwave 2025

Summer 2025 officially became the hottest on record for the UK, with four official heatwaves confirmed. The season was characterized by unusual warmth from the start—June 2025 was the warmest on record for England since 1884, and the driest January-to-June period since 1976, leading to drought declarations in some regions.

How is Summer 2025 shaping up so far?

The numbers are extraordinary. Summer 2025 was officially the warmest on record for the UK, with a mean temperature of 16.10°C surpassing the previous 2018 record. By mid-July, the UK had already experienced 11 days at or above 30°C—something that historically happened only twice before (1976 and 2018). The highest temperature recorded in 2025 so far was 35.8°C on 1 July at Faversham in Kent.

Is this year hotter than 1976 in the UK?

In many respects, yes. The provisional summer mean temperature to 15 July 2025 showed the UK running 1.14°C above average, with England at 1.58°C above average—a significant differential. However, the all-time UK high of 40.3°C set in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, in July 2022 remains unbroken for now. Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle noted: “It’s hard to say this summer has been typical so far when we look at the statistics.”

Summer 2025 warmest on record

The Met Office’s year-in-weather blog confirmed summer 2025 as the warmest on record, with heatwave conditions dominating July and peak temperatures reaching 33–34°C in the Midlands. July 2025 was the UK’s fifth warmest on record and marked the sixth consecutive above-average month.

Regional variations were stark: England received only 42% of its average August rainfall, while Scotland was closer to normal at 83%. The contrast between drought conditions in England and wetter conditions in Scotland highlights the uneven distribution of this summer’s extreme weather.

How to keep cool in hot weather?

With the Met Office predicting continued heat and Health Alerts active across England, staying cool requires active strategies rather than passive waiting. The UKHSA issues Amber/Yellow Heat Health Alerts during heatwave conditions, triggering additional NHS resources, but personal preparation remains essential.

How to keep an elderly person cool?

Age UK recommends several approaches for keeping elderly individuals cool during heatwaves. These include ensuring adequate hydration with regular water intake, keeping curtains closed during peak sunlight hours, using cool damp cloths on pulse points like wrists and temples, and checking on vulnerable neighbors or relatives at least twice daily.

Mediterranean sleep method

Some UK households have adopted cooling strategies borrowed from Mediterranean countries, where extreme heat has long been a summer reality. These include sleeping with a hand dampened and placed near a fan, wearing lightweight loose-fitting clothing made from natural fibers, and timing strenuous activity for early morning or late evening when temperatures drop.

What is Storm Dave?

Storm Dave was an Atlantic weather system that intersected with the August heatwave period, bringing the variable weather pattern that marked August 2025. The Met Office documented how August featured storm activity, heatwave conditions, thunderstorms, and drought conditions all within the same month—a testament to the weather system’s volatility during this period.

Why is storm Dave called Dave?

UK storms are named alphabetically, with the UK public able to submit name suggestions through the Met Office’s naming partnership with Ireland’s Met Éireann and the Netherlands’ KNMI. Names are chosen alphabetically and follow that sequence through each storm season. “Dave” simply falls in the D slot of the approved list for 2025.

What is a weather bomb?

A “weather bomb” is an informal term for rapid intensification of an extratropical cyclone, technically called bombogenesis. It occurs when atmospheric pressure drops quickly (typically 24 millibars or more in 24 hours), causing the storm to strengthen dramatically. While more associated with winter Atlantic storms, the same pressure systems that bring rain can also drive warm air into the UK ahead of them, contributing to heatwave buildup.

Expert perspectives

“It’s hard to say this summer has been typical so far when we look at the statistics.”

— Emily Carlisle, Met Office scientist

“During Wednesday daytime, temperatures could peak at 34°C.”

— Met Office forecaster

“Summer 2025 was officially the warmest on record for the UK.”

— Met Office official record