Southend-on-Sea will bake under the year’s third heatwave this week as the Met Office confirms a prolonged spell of hot, dry weather gripping the East of England. The mercury is forecast to hit 31C on Tuesday before easing gradually to 24C by Monday 13 July.
UV levels will sit at High, rated 7, across the entire week. The latest Met Office forecast for the town shows only a slow retreat: 29C on Wednesday and Thursday, 27C on Friday, 26C on Saturday, and 25C on Sunday. Pollen counts are Very High on Tuesday before dropping to High on Wednesday and Thursday, then Moderate from Friday. Deputy Chief Forecaster Steven Keates stressed this heatwave will not match the record-breaking extremes of May and June. “Unlike the May and June heatwaves, we are not expecting this heatwave to be record-breaking,” he said.
Unlike the oppressive humidity of June, nights will be cooler, though larger urban areas could still see temperatures in the high teens. There is a slim chance of a tropical night, where the thermostat stays above 20C, in a few spots. The Met Office warned that sea temperatures off Southend remain cold enough—15C or lower—to trigger cold water shock despite the scorching air, a hidden danger for anyone tempted to cool off in the waves.
Residents are urged to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun during the midday hours, and check on vulnerable neighbours. The Met Office’s long-range outlook for late July into early August suggests high pressure will dominate, keeping conditions settled and drier than average, with a greater chance of further hot spells in the south.
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