Does Europe's hot weather signal a September heatwave for the UK? - BBC Weather
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Temperature exceeds 40C in parts of Europe - is a September heatwave likely for UK?
By Sarah Keith-Lucas Lead Weather Presenter
Published 5 September 2026, 01:30 BST
The UK will experience a brief surge of summer-like weather this weekend as hot air from central and southern Europe moves northward.
France and Spain have seen some of the hottest temperatures in recent weeks, exceeding 40°C at times. This intense heat is expected to continue and intensify in central and eastern Europe over the next few days.
As it moves towards the UK, a temporary rise in temperatures is anticipated this weekend before cooler air arrives early next week.
Why is Europe so hot again?
Hot and dusty air from north Africa reached Spain’s Iberian Peninsula earlier in the week, intensifying under clear skies and dry conditions. On Thursday, Granada in south-west Spain hit a staggering 45.7°C (114°F), the highest temperature recorded there this year.
It's unusual for annual peak temperatures to occur outside July and August.
Much of central and southern Europe has seen temperatures around 10°C above average this week, with the hottest conditions centered around Spain and France.
Orange extreme heat warnings are in place through Saturday for Spain, southern France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Serbia. The hottest spots in Spain will continue to experience temperatures exceeding 40°C this weekend and early next week, even in the typically cooler Erbo valley.
Parts of southern France, including the Ardeche region, will see highs in the high 30s for the next few days, potentially reaching 40°C locally. Further east, while temperatures have cooled slightly in Greece and Turkey this week, they could still reach the high 30s early next week.
Sea surface temperatures in the central Mediterranean remain significantly above average, around 4°C higher than normal in some areas.
Is a heatwave heading for the UK?
Warm air will move into the UK this weekend as winds shift to a southerly direction. However, temperatures won't reach the extreme levels seen further south due to the short-lived nature of the southerly flow and increasing cloud cover.
Sunday will be the warmest day, with temperatures generally in the low to mid 20s Celsius across England and Wales, potentially reaching 27-28°C in the south east. Scotland and Northern Ireland will experience around 15-20°C.
The warmth will quickly dissipate as fresher Atlantic air and rain-bearing fronts arrive early next week, ending any chance of a heatwave over the next 10 days.
For more on this story:
- Weather for the week ahead (published 21 hours ago)
- Stormy autumn, cold winter - how might El Niño affect the UK weather? (published 2 days ago)
- New storm names for 2026-2027 released by Met Office (published 4 days ago)