Southern England is set to experience a fourth summer heatwave this week, with temperatures expected to reach 33°C starting Wednesday.
The heat follows a brief cooling period, but northern regions will see cloud cover and rain.
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Met Office forecasters warn of a stark weather divide across the UK.
Southern areas will meet official heatwave criteria through Thursday, while Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England continue to face precipitation and clouds.
Record July Heat and Dryness
Provisional Met Office data shows July temperatures were 3°C above average across the UK, potentially ranking it among the four warmest Julys on record.
Rainfall levels remained exceptionally low, with southern England receiving just 1% of its typical July rainfall.
Dan Stroud, senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, highlighted the ongoing dry conditions and elevated fire hazards.
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"In terms of wildfire, obviously the continuation of the dry and hot conditions does elevate the fire risk," Stroud said.
Stroud noted that recent brief rainfall provided little relief for drought-affected land.
"That rain we’ve had, even though it’s welcome rain for the last few hours, is certainly not enough really to do a huge amount for the dry conditions we’ve already got.
That risk continues," he added.
Data from Natural England and Natural Resources Wales suggests wildfire severity could reach exceptionally severe levels in eastern, southern, and south-eastern parts of England.
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Humidity levels are expected to drop further as the latest weather system progresses.
