New weather maps show how quickly UK will heat up in 'Iberian plume'

New weather maps show how parts of the UK could see temperatures soar to as high as 27C in the coming days. A heatwave appears to be on the way to the UK according to the Met Office's maps.

They indicate that by Tuesday June 25, various southern cities will experience mid-20s temperatures, marking the start of Britain's summer. While southern cities such as Basingstoke, Guilford, Crawley and Newbury, we will see the benefit here.

The forecast shows temperatures peaking at around 4pm, with London expected to have the highest temperature in the country at 27C. This comes as almost all of England has been put on alert for the rising temperatures expected in the coming days.

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An Iberian plume from Europe is anticipated to push the mercury into the mid-to-high 20C range, say forecasters. Each summer, the Met Office and the UK Health Standards Agency issue alerts to highlight how the weather could affect the healthcare sector, including care homes and those aged 65 and over.

People whose conditions could worsen due to the heat are also included in these warnings. Yellow alerts, indicating potential and probable impacts, are currently in effect from Monday, June 24 to Thursday, June 28.

These may be subject to change and could also be shortened due to the risk of thunderstorms, warns the forecaster. GFS weather maps for next week suggest that temperatures could peak at 29C in Greater London by midday on Wednesday.

"There is potential for significant impacts to be observed across the health and social care sector due to the high temperatures, including: observed increase in mortality across the population likely, particularly in the 65 plus age group or those with health conditions," states the alert.

"But impacts may also be seen in younger age groups with increased demand for remote health care services likely. Internal temperatures in care settings (hospitals and care homes) may also exceed recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment."