Summary

  • A heatwave is expected to be officially declared in parts of the UK as temperatures soar on the bank holiday weekend - here's the latest forecast

  • In Frittenden in Kent, temperatures reached 30.5C on Saturday - the highest of the year so far

  • When is a heatwave declared?

  • Amber heat-health alerts for parts of the Midlands and eastern England until at least Wednesday

  • It looks increasingly likely that a new all-time UK May temperature record will be set on Monday - 32.8C is currently the highest temperature ever recorded in May

  • Forecasts show that some areas of England and Wales may stay above heatwave criteria for most of the week

  • Let us know what the weather is like where you live

Live Reporting

Edited by Charlotte Hadfield, with reporting from BBC Weather

  1. What are the health risks of a heatwave?

    While it's welcomed by some, hot weather comes with risks. The main ones are dehydration, overheating, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, the NHS says.

    Certain groups are more at risk, including:

    • Those aged 65+ (the guidance used to be 75+, but this has changed)
    • Babies and young children under five
    • Pregnant women
    • Those with underlying health conditions, particularly heart problems, breathing problems, dementia, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, or mobility problems

    Tips for staying safe include drinking plenty of water, staying indoors, keeping to the shade (particularly between 11:00 and 15:00 BST), wearing sun cream, and avoiding activities that make you hotter.

    Infographic titled “How heat affects the body.” A stylised illustration of a person stands beside a large sun icon. Dotted callouts label different parts of the body, explaining effects of heat: dizziness and faintness from dehydration; increased heart rate as the body works harder; heat rashes on the skin; sweating, which cools the body through evaporation; and swollen ankles due to increased blood flow. Source credited to Public Health England, with a BBC logo at the bottom.

  2. Watch: The latest forecast for the bank holiday weekend

  3. What's the weather like where you are?

    As temperatures remain high on Sunday and a heatwave is expected to be officially declared in parts of the UK, let us know what it's like where you are.

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  4. Amber heat alerts remain in place for parts of England

    Amber heat health alerts, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Friday remain in place for the Midlands and much of south-east England.

    Less-severe yellow warnings are in place for the remainder of England, with all alerts set to run to 17:00 BST on Wednesday.

    These heat health alerts are issued by government agency UKHSA in partnership with the Met Office, and are only issued in England.

    Yellow health alerts mean vulnerable groups will likely be affected, while amber alerts could affect the whole population and lead to "significant impacts" across health and social care services, says the agency.

    The UKHSA lists on its website that alerts are generally only issued between June and September, but that “extraordinary alerts” may be issued if an episode of heat was to occur outside that window - as we are seeing now.

    Map showing the various UKHSA heat alerts in place forparts of the UK

  5. When does hot weather become a heatwave?

    Map showing the Met Office heatwave thresholds across the UK for the daily maximum temperature. 25 Celsius in Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of Wales and northern England. For many other areas of England , as well as south-east Wales it is 26 or 27 Celsius, but for London, most of the home counties and Cambridgeshire it's 28 Celsius.

    The threshold for hot weather becoming a heatwave depends on what the "normal" climate for an area is.

    This is different across the UK, with the Met Office setting the temperature for a heatwave at 25C in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England.

    For many other areas of England, as well as south-east Wales, it is 26C or 27C. In London, most of the home counties and Cambridgeshire, it is 28C.

    If these temperatures are exceeded for at least three days a heatwave is declared.

  6. Heatwave likely in parts of UK as record-breaking temperatures forecast

    Jack Grey
    Live reporter

    A baby lounges in a stroller, holding a sunscreen bottle while a caregiver gently applies lotion to his faceGetty Images

    A heatwave is expected to be officially declared later today as temperatures soar across swathes of the UK.

    On Saturday, a high of 30.5C was recorded in Frittenden, Kent, becoming the warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures set to remain high throughout Sunday.

    Monday is forecast to be the hottest May day on record – with current forecasts showing the possibility of temperatures exceeding 33C in parts of south-east England.

    For a heatwave to be declared, temperatures must exceed a threshold above the "normal" climate for three consecutive days.

    Amber heat-health alerts remain in force for parts of the Midlands and eastern England until at least Wednesday

    For Northern Ireland, Scotland, most of Wales and parts of England, this is 25C, while for parts of south Wales and much of England this ranges from between 26 and 28C.

    We'll bring you the key developments right here on this page, stay with us.