UK set to be 'hammered' by scorching 28C heatwave and it starts within days

New maps have shown the UK turned red and pinpointed exactly when a 28C heatwave will hammer Britain. Towns and villages around the South Downs and south of London will see the highest temperatures of around 27C to 28C in mid-July.

The best of the weather is anticipated across July 16 with temperatures rising to the mid-20s in the Midlands, including in Birmingham, as well as the North West, with cities like Liverpool and Manchester also due to bask, according to Netweather projections.

The predictions have been backed up by WX Charts, which use Met Desk data. Exacta Weather's James Madden explained: "A mixed week to come with a significant and imminent pattern change later to allow for the mid-July heat.

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"We now expect the more southern-driven jet stream to start to drive northwards from in and around this time next week and during the following week, starting on July 8," he went on. "This will allow for our shores (UK and Ireland) to come under a much warmer airflow over an extended period from this pattern change, and it will also place us in an extremely favourable position for high pressure rises and some hot to very hot temperatures on a widespread scale from in and around mid-July and throughout much of the second half of the month.

"The latest GFS model projections have also incorporated some very hot options for us around this same period in two of their last four model runs, and this is something that will become more frequent and strengthen over the next several days. It could also take the pattern change to actually occur within the next 5–10 days before the main third-party computer models become fully aware of these widespread or extreme hot periods in July."

Leading bookmaker Coral has cut the odds to 4-5 (from 5-2) on this month ending as the hottest July on record, despite a drop in temperatures over the last couple of days. The firm makes it 5-4 for the UK's highest-ever temperature of 40.3C being broken this month.

"We've had a drop in temperatures over the last few days but we think the sweltering sunshine will return soon, giving us a good chance of a record-hot July," said Coral's John Hill.