{"id":109202,"date":"2026-08-23T10:37:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T10:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/109202\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T10:37:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T10:37:32","slug":"temperatures-to-hit-26c-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/109202\/","title":{"rendered":"Temperatures to hit 26\u00b0C next week"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a fairly settled weekend, the week ahead may bring heavy rain, though temperatures will remain warm<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to forecasts, Monday will start chilly, but as the day progresses, temperatures could hit up to 23\u00b0C in the south of England and large parts of Wales, with an increased chance of showers across Devon and Cornwall. <\/p>\n

Scotland, the Midlands and northern England will see temperatures in the low 20s but will remain dry.<\/p>\n

While temperatures are due to rise to possibly 25\u00b0C on Tuesday, Wales, south-west England and Northern Ireland will have a greater chance of heavy showers and possible thunder.<\/p>\n

Although it is expected to remain dry elsewhere, the Met Office forecasts that \u201cthunderstorms and long spells of rain\u201d may move northwards.<\/p>\n

It said that showers will become \u201cincreasingly widespread and heavy\u201d on Wednesday with rainfall expected across England and Wales and risk of \u201cheavy and thundery\u201d showers. <\/p>\n

Greg Dewhurst, senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, added that temperatures and humidity would remain high, leading to \u201cmuggy air\u201d, as temperatures climb as high as 26\u00b0C for the east of England, south-east and London. <\/p>\n

A change is on the way\u2026<\/p>\n

After a settled weekend, low pressure is expected to take charge this week, bringing warmer, more humid air and an increased chance of rain and thunderstorms \ud83c\udf27\ufe0f<\/p>\n

Details remain uncertain, so keep an eye on Met Office forecasts \ud83d\ude07 pic.twitter.com\/tI0jJufaVf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Met Office (@metoffice) August 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The north-east may see a high of 25\u00b0C, but elsewhere in the Midlands, Scotland and the north-west will see temperatures range between 22-24\u00b0C and possibly 18\u00b0C in Scotland.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, the BBC reports an area of low pressure will bring \u201cstrong winds\u201d and \u201csignificant rainfall\u201d across the country. Low air pressure from the West may contribute to heavier wind in some areas, the Met Office added.<\/p>\n

Dewhurst added that with heavy rain and possible thunderstorms lingering into Friday, it will be an \u201cunsettled\u201d week, with showers likely to continue into September as the weather shows \u201cno strong signals of settling down\u201d. <\/p>\n

Despite the heavy rain, around three-quarters of England remains in drought and will need prolonged wet weather to replenish reservoirs and waterways.<\/p>\n

Officials are now warning of possible flash floods due to the dry ground and possible heavy rain expected next week.<\/p>\n

\"LEEK,Tittesworth Reservoir in the Staffordshire Moorlands showing low water levels during a recent heatwave in August (Photo: Christopher Furlong\/Getty)<\/p>\n

Phillip Duffy, Environment Agency chief executive, said: \u201cThis current rainfall isn\u2019t enough to change the overall drought picture, and it is possible to have simultaneous drought and flood as heavy rain falls on compacted soils.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are monitoring the flood risks, while also working with industry, agriculture, and the Government on the ongoing drought response.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite some rises in river flows across northern England, 50 per cent of rivers in other parts of the country are classed as exceptionally low for this time of year. Reservoir levels are 16.3 per cent lower than expected for this time of year.<\/p>\n

In a briefing on Tuesday, Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern explained England and Wales has received 150mm less rainfall than average since April. To put that into perspective, the average rainfall for the whole of September in England is 68.5mm.<\/p>\n

Over 70 per cent of England and all of Wales are currently in drought<\/a>. Nine water companies have introduced hosepipe bans<\/a>, affecting more than 27 million people across England and Wales \u2013 Severn Trent Water, Bristol Water and South Staffordshire Water have asked customers to cut back on usage. Seven major reservoirs are being classed as having exceptionally low storage.<\/p>\n

Bristol Water said that due to prolonged hot weather and a significant increase in water usage across the Bristol region, demand has risen by around 45 million litres per day.<\/p>\n

Richard Stanbrook, general manager of Drinking Water Services at Bristol Water, said: \u2018To help protect water supplies across the network and reduce the risk of supply interruptions, we are asking customers to reduce their water usage where possible until temperatures begin to drop. We all need to use water wisely in these extreme conditions, and small changes can make a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

How does El Ni\u00f1o tie into all of this?<\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o is expected to increase the chances<\/a> of a wet autumn in the UK, which should help the drought, but it also means a dry winter is likely on the horizon.<\/p>\n

Although it is too early to predict next summer\u2019s weather, El Ni\u00f1o could bring another dry, hot summer.<\/p>\n

Due to El Ni\u00f1o, 2027 is currently predicted to be the hottest year on record. With temperatures rising year on year, the UK may have to deal with drought for years to come.<\/p>\n

Tim Palmer, Royal Society research professor at the University of Oxford, said climate forecasts are expected to be released next month, outlining the impact of El Ni\u00f1o on the UK\u2019s winter rainfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can hope that they will show abundant rain over the UK. If they don\u2019t, we\u2019re in serious trouble,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dewhurst added that with \u201chit and miss\u201d showers across the country, it will remain difficult to predict what areas will see strong rainfall, and urged people to stay up to date with forecasts. <\/p>\n

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