The UK bank holiday heatwave is set to bring soaring temperatures of up to 30C on Monday, offering a burst of summer sunshine before the weather turns wet and windy.
Forecasters predict the hottest conditions across the West Midlands, the Welsh border, Cheshire, Merseyside, and Greater Manchester, while parts of Wales could see their hottest late August bank holiday on record. The Met Office has already declared four heatwaves this summer, placing 2025 among the UK’s warmest years on record.
Londoners heading to the Notting Hill Carnival can also expect plenty of sunshine, with highs around 28C. Northern Ireland and Scotland may challenge their own late August temperature records, though both will see rain and gusts of up to 40mph sweep in by evening.
The blast of heat won’t last long. The remnants of Hurricane Erin, which tracked across the Caribbean and the US east coast, are forecast to push cooler, wetter conditions across the UK from Monday night. While Tuesday may still see highs of 27C in the southeast, temperatures will drop to 16–19C by Friday, with showers persisting throughout the week.
The shift will be welcomed in parts of southern England that have seen almost no measurable rainfall this August, leaving fields parched and raising concerns over poor harvests. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board warns the UK is facing one of its worst harvests on record, with hosepipe bans likely to remain in place into winter.
Travel plans may also be hit. CrossCountry strikes and engineering works on the LNER line mean widespread disruption for passengers returning from holiday events like the Leeds Festival. The RNLI has urged beachgoers to stick to lifeguarded shores and remain cautious of rough seas.
Scientists caution that while no single event can be pinned directly to climate change, the string of recent heatwaves and prolonged dry spells align with global trends of hotter, longer, and more intense summers.
For many, this UK bank holiday heatwave offers one last taste of summer before storms mark the seasonal shift.
