Met Office weather maps show heatwave hitting Wales within days

A heatwave is set to hit Wales within days as an area of high pressure dominates systems. The Met Office has forecast that the official heatwave threshold could be reached in Wales early next week.

Wales has experienced low 20C temperatures in recent days, in contrast to the baking heatwave which struck at the end of June. That unprecedented heat saw temperatures rise well above 30C, with hundreds of schools across Wales closing as the Met Office issued a rare red extreme heat warning.

A heatwave is officially defined as three consecutive days at or above a set temperature. For the majority of Wales, temperatures need to be above 25C for three consecutive days to meet the heatwave threshold. Temperatures above 25C are forecast in Monmouth for three consecutive days starting Monday July 6, so the Met Office threshold to declare a heatwave could be met.

Temperatures will start to ramp up in south-east Wales on Sunday, with Abergavenny and Monmouth forecast as particular hotspots for warmer temperatures. The Met Office says Wales will feel very warm from the start of the week. It will be warmer across Wales on Wednesday as high pressure continues to dominate.

Thursday looks set to be the hottest day of the week, with temperatures reaching the mid-20s in parts of south Wales and highs of 27C forecast for Monmouth. The warm weather is expected to continue into Friday.

This heatwave will differ from the recent extreme event. Forecasters say it will not get as hot nor humid as was seen in the last heatwave. With high pressure positioned further west and westerly winds continuing to influence conditions, temperatures should remain below the June extremes, resulting in lower humidity levels.