More scorching heat to come with a growing risk of severe storms into next week

Yesterday saw temperatures reach 36.4c in London, making it the hottest August day since 2003, and putting it ninth on the list of the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the UK. The heat will continue today, and through into next week, but with the increased threat of some potent thunderstorms from Monday.

What the peak of the heat is going to be today is a slightly tricky call though, as there's going to be some cloud drifting up into southern and southeastern England, which may peg the warmth back a little. The low-thirties are certainly on the cards though, with highs into the mid-thirties a possibility, these perhaps most likely south and west of London, along with some more central-southern locations.

For much of the rest of England and Wales today, with broken cloud highs will reach into the mid-high twenties typically, although a few spots perhaps making it to 30-31c. It will be cooler near to both eastern and western coasts though with cloud and mist rolling in off of the sea at times. It will also be cooler up into northeast England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with temperatures in these regions typically reaching 18-22c. 

For the most part, it'll stay dry today, but there is the risk of one or two isolated, thundery downpours developing in parts of England and Wales later on. A storm forecast has been issued, which discusses this threat in more detail. 

To start, Sunday will see a fair bit of cloud in eastern and central areas, but that'll burn back to coastal counties to leave another day of long sunny spells and hot temperatures inland through central and southern England.  Once again, highs are likely to peak into the mid-thirties in the south and southeast, with the mid-high twenties in other parts of central England and Wales. Those nearer the east coast will likely have a cooler day, joining Scotland and Northern Ireland with temperatures into the high-teens and low-twenties. As today, Sunday will stay dry for the vast majority, but with the threat of the odd shower or thunderstorm here and there.

Looking ahead to next week, more widespread storms and showers may develop late Sunday and into the early hours of Monday, drifting north. However, there's a lot of uncertainty over this. The threat of some potentially severe thunderstorms will be there from Monday onwards though, as the ongoing heat provides plenty of energy for developing storms to tap into. Not everyone will catch one though, and away from them, there'll still be a lot of sunshine, with temperatures continuing to peak into the thirties in southern and some central parts, the mid-high twenties for a good portion of England and Wales, and the low-twenties for the far north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.