UK weather forecast: 14-day heatwave to take place in July as temperatures soar to 40C

The UK is expected to be hit by a 14-day long heatwave next month as temperatures reach a scorching 40C. The Weather Company has reported that the heatwave is expected in early and late July.

If forecasters are correct, July 2023 could beat last year’s record-breaking temperature of 40.3C, which was experienced in Lincolnshire. The upcoming scorching temperatures have been backed up by the Met Office, which agreed extreme temperatures are ‘not out of the question’, with the mercury boosted by hot continental air.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey told The Mirror: "Towards the middle to the end of July there is an increasing chance that high pressure may become established.

"On balance northern areas are more likely to see drier conditions with southern areas seeing greater risk of showers and thunderstorms. We can say there is a greater than normal chance of heat waves for the whole period of the middle to the end of July.

"Because of the change in climate our extreme temperatures are continuously being pushed. There is an increasing chance these extremes could get pushed further. We got 40C last year and before that happened no one thought there was an outside chance. There’s also a possibility we do continue to see those trends."

This contrasts upcoming weather reports as a number of areas in the UK are expected to be hit by cloudy skies and outbreaks of rain in the west this week. Cooler air is set to sweep in from the Atlantic in the coming days, causing temperatures to cool across the UK ahead of July