Rebecca Robinson

The Met Office forecasts temperatures reaching 31°C in London on Monday, 3 August 2026, with Manchester expected to reach 29°C and Cardiff 28°C. The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat-health warnings for London, the East Midlands, the East of England and the South East from 9am on 3 August until 9am on 5 August. Authorities warn that extreme heat could place additional pressure on health and social care services, increase risks for older people and those with medical conditions, and contribute to overheating, cold-water shock and drowning incidents.

Forecast maps indicate that a broad band of heavy rain could move across the UK on August 4, affecting North, South and West Yorkshire. North Yorkshire could receive rainfall of up to 7.5mm per hour around midday, while the weather system may stretch from northern Scotland to southwest England. The Met Office expects increasingly changeable conditions in early August but warns that the timing and intensity of the rain could change as the date approaches.

A powerful 7.4‑magnitude earthquake near Puerto Madero on the Mexico–Guatemala border prompted mass evacuations and triggered a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific coast. Buildings shook across Guatemala City and nearby countries, though early reports indicated no major damage. Authorities highlighted risks from vulnerable construction and potential soil liquefaction, urging people to seek shelter and avoid coastal areas.

A woman known as the Black Widow, Pamela Gwinnett, has been located and detained in Tenerife after fleeing the UK while awaiting trial for defrauding elderly pensioner Joan Green of nearly £300,000. Gwinnett manipulated Green into granting her power of attorney, isolated her from her family and spent the stolen funds on luxury items before escaping abroad. She was convicted in her absence and sentenced to six years in prison, along with an order to repay £300,000. Greater Manchester Police, working with the National Crime Agency and Spanish authorities, have begun extradition proceedings to return her to the UK to serve her sentence.

A 200-mile band of heavy rain is forecast to sweep across 25 counties in England on 19 July, potentially ending the UK’s ongoing heatwave with temperatures above 30C. WXCharts data suggests rainfall from Cumbria to Northamptonshire, while Suffolk may see intense showers. Yorkshire is expected to avoid most of the rain. The Met Office warns of possible mid-July thunderstorms and unsettled conditions moving in from the south, with temperatures initially very warm before easing.

Forecasts indicate another significant UK heatwave beginning July 7, with temperatures potentially reaching 41C in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire and more than 40 counties expected to exceed 35C. High pressure is predicted to bring hot, dry conditions across England and Wales, while Scotland and Northern Ireland may experience more cloud and intermittent rain. Conditions are expected to grow increasingly warm or hot through mid-July.

The Met Office forecasts heavy rain for 45 counties across northern England and Scotland on Wednesday, including North, South and West Yorkshire, with potential for localised flooding and travel disruption in central Scotland. Most southern regions are expected to stay dry ahead of a heatwave later in the week. A yellow rain warning is active for parts of Scotland on Tuesday, with rainfall totals potentially reaching 40mm in a few hours.