Britain is set to sizzle as a late-summer heatwave descends over the August bank holiday, with forecasters predicting temperatures to soar above 30C across much of England and the South East. The surge in heat, expected to peak on Monday, August 25, 2025, marks the fifth significant heatwave of an already record-breaking summer, prompting both excitement for festivalgoers and caution from public health officials.
Weather maps from WXCharts and forecasts from the Met Office have painted a vivid picture of the impending scorcher. According to BirminghamLive, weather models show Merseyside, Bristol, and Gloucestershire bracing for highs of 30C as early as Monday. Meanwhile, the South East is set to bear the brunt of the heat, with counties like Sussex, Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, Greater London, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire all tipped to reach between 30C and 31C, reports Examiner Live.
This heatwave comes on the heels of four others this summer, propelling 2025 on track to be among the hottest years in British history, according to the Met Office. The forecast has been met with both anticipation and concern, as the UK Health Security Agency recently issued a yellow heat health alert across several regions, warning of heightened risks for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
Festival season is in full swing, and the timing of the warm spell couldn’t be better for the hundreds of thousands expected at major events. Notting Hill Carnival, Reading and Leeds Festival, and Creamfields in Cheshire are all due to bask in the sunshine, with the mercury forecast to peak around 6pm on Monday. “Most areas [are] seeing a dry day with plenty of sunshine and feeling very warm,” the Met Office stated in its latest update. However, it cautioned that Northern Ireland would turn cloudier later in the day, with outbreaks of rain expected.
For those in the West Midlands, Manchester, and Birmingham, highs of 29C are on the cards, while Northampton, Cambridge, Oxford, and Peterborough could see 28C. London and Norfolk are likely to experience a slightly cooler but still summery 27C, while parts of Wales, northern England, and Scotland will enjoy balmy temperatures around 21C. Scotland, in particular, is expected to remain in the low 20s, staying cooler than the rest of the country before unsettled weather arrives midweek.
Sunny conditions are forecast to begin as early as Saturday, August 23, and continue through Sunday, August 24, with many areas basking in 25C warmth. The Met Office’s outlook from Sunday to Tuesday promises “increasing amounts of warm sunshine,” with settled weather on Sunday and Monday. But a word of caution: “Breezier in the west on Tuesday with scattered showers spreading east through the day. Very warm in the east,” the Met Office said, as reported by BirminghamLive.
This latest heatwave is not without its caveats. The remnants of Hurricane Erin, which are expected to hit the US over the weekend, are forecast to influence the UK’s weather from Tuesday, August 26. “It is too early for specific details about which parts of the country will see the windiest and wettest weather [from Hurricane Erin],” Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan told Examiner Live. “What we can say is that it will gradually turn less hot and be more generally changeable.” The warm spell is anticipated to subside by Wednesday at the earliest, as wind and rain sweep in to break the brief summer high.
Large waves are also possible around western beaches on Monday, adding a note of caution for those hoping to cool off at the coast. By Tuesday, the weather will become notably more unsettled, with “periods of rain, heavy at times, interspersed with some sunshine,” according to the Met Office. The agency’s long-range forecast from August 27 to September 5 signals a shift to more typical late-summer conditions, with low pressure dominating and bringing bands of rain and showers—some slow-moving—which could result in fairly wet days for some areas. Still, dry spells are expected in between, and temperatures should remain around average, “still feeling pleasant enough during drier spells.”
Confidence in the finer details of the forecast remains lower than average, a fact the Met Office attributes to “the activity in the tropical Atlantic, and how any systems move into mid-latitudes to help develop further low pressure systems which may affect the UK.” Winds could be strong at times, especially around coastal areas as these low-pressure systems move through.
The run of hot, dry weather this summer has already left its mark. Earlier in the season, prolonged high temperatures and a lack of rain led to a hosepipe ban in parts of the country, and the heat caused widespread disruption for travelers and those attending outdoor events. The UK Health Security Agency’s recent yellow alerts—issued and then extended across Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, the Southeast, and the Southwest—underscore the potential for increased health risks, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Despite the challenges, the late-summer heatwave is being welcomed by many as a final opportunity to enjoy the outdoors before autumn sets in. The influx of festivalgoers, beach trips, and barbecues is expected to bring a boost to local economies and provide a fitting send-off to a historic summer. Yet, as the Met Office and public health agencies remind the public, it’s important to stay vigilant: keep hydrated, look out for at-risk neighbors, and heed any official warnings as the mercury climbs.
So, as Britain braces for another burst of summer heat, the nation finds itself balancing celebration with caution. The fleeting nature of the warmth—set to give way to wind, rain, and cooler days by midweek—serves as a reminder of the UK’s famously changeable weather. For now, though, sun-seekers and festival fans alike are set to make the most of what could be the last big heatwave of a truly memorable summer.
