The UK has experienced four heatwaves this summer and there’s been plenty of speculation about whether we’ll see another this year.
However, the Met Office has stated that the next high-pressure system approaching the UK is unlikely to bring a heatwave.
The weather monitoring service explained: “As we move into the final weeks of summer, high pressure is once again asserting itself across the UK.
“However, unlike previous spells, this system is positioned to the north of Scotland, which means it won’t be ushering in a heatwave.Instead, it’s acting like a boulder in a stream, diverting the jet stream and influencing our weather in more subtle ways.
“One branch of the jet stream is being pushed north into the Arctic Circle, while another is dipping southwards, drawing in an area of low pressure.
“This configuration is expected to bring one or two showers to the southwest on Monday night into Tuesday.Elsewhere, the dominance of high pressure will ensure a largely dry week, though not necessarily a warm one.
“Provisional statistics from the Met Office have shown that summer, 2025, is shaping up to be one of the warmest on record. The UK’s average temperature from 1 June to 17 August currently stands at a balmy 16.2°C, a significant 1.6°C above the long-term meteorological average.
“With a fortnight of summer still remaining, the weather service has indicated that conditions could yet change.However, the consistent warmth and above-average temperatures throughout the season suggest it could be one of the UK’s hottest summers on record.
Emily Carlisle, a scientist at the Met Office, stated: “It’s looking like this summer is on track to be one of the warmest, if not ‘the’ warmest, since the series began in 1884. “”What’s striking is the consistency of the warmth.
June and July were both well above average and even outside of heatwaves, temperatures have remained on the warmer side. “”This persistent warmth is driven by a combination of factors including dry ground from spring, high-pressure systems, and unusually warm seas around the UK.
These conditions have created an environment where heat builds quickly and lingers. While we haven’t seen record-breaking highs, with 35.8°C the peak so far this year, the overall trend in consistently above-average temperatures is what matters, reports Wales Online.
“”At present, the warmest UK summers on record are pretty clustered. They include 2018 as the warmest, then 2006, 2003, 2022 and 1976.
With two weeks still to go, things could of course change, but the data so far strongly suggests we’re heading towards one of the UK’s hottest summers on record.”