UK weather: Heatwave to continue for another two weeks

GB news 24 desk//

Britain is set to swelter for another two weeks, forecasters say, as water companies urge customers to use less water.

The BBC’s weather team says temperatures will stay high across most of the UK over the next fortnight.

People are being told to conserve water and a hosepipe ban remains in place in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, figures show last month was the driest June on record in south-east and central southern England.

Scotland also had its highest temperature ever recorded, with 33.2C reached on 28 June in Motherwell, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.

The forecast for more hot weather comes as firefighters tackle a grass and corn field on fire near Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

More than 20 fire engines are battling the blaze, near Wyevale Garden Centre, which has closed several roads in the area.

A Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said it was too early to give a cause but “what’s burning is very combustible and dry” due to the weather and that they would likely be battling the blaze through the night.

Forecasters say high pressure will continue across much of Britain throughout the next two weeks, “bringing plenty more very warm sunshine”.

Provisional figures show the highest temperature on Monday was 30.7C recorded at Bournemouth Airport.

BBC forecaster Gemma Plumb said England and Wales saw temperatures of between 25C and 29C while Scotland and Northern Ireland reached between 20C and 24C.

“Tomorrow will be much more of the same although with more cloud for the north and east of Scotland,” she said.

Eastern coastal areas may also see more mist while showers are a possibility in the Channel Islands and southwest England.Pollen levels will be high or very high across most of the country, although they will be slightly less in areas with cloud.

It comes after a week of hot temperatures across the UK, with the record for the hottest day of the year being set on four consecutive days.

All four UK nations reached 30C for the first time in five years.

But the UK still has a way to beat the record of the 1976 heatwave, which saw temperatures of 32C and over for 15 consecutive days.