UK Heatwave: Fifth of the year likely next week as temperatures could hit 35C

We could be in for another heatwave

How hot the UK heatwave could get

Forecasters expect temperatures to build through the weekend, exceeding 30C in the south-east by Sunday before rising into the low-to-mid 30s midweek. The Met Office has said highs of up to 36C are possible in East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday. It has already been a remarkable summer: July was the sunniest month on record for the UK and the driest July on record for England and Wales, while Wisley in Surrey has now gone 51 days without rain. There have been 33 days this year on which temperatures topped 30C somewhere in the UK, leaving the all-time record of 34 days, set in 1995, poised to fall.

Two record-breaking heatwaves, in May and June, resulted in more than 2,800 excess deaths, while two further heatwaves in July fuelled drought and wildfires across the country.

With no significant rain in sight for much of England and Wales, attention is turning to the strain on water supplies and the wildfire risk, as BBC Weather reported. Wisley could reach 60 days without rain in the days ahead. For those bracing for the worst of it, here is our guide on how to keep cool in the heatwave.