Oxford is set to be hotter than Ibiza this week with temperatures to soar past 30C in a heatwave across the UK, forecasters have said.

The Met Office said the mercury could reach up to 31C in Oxford by Tuesday while long-term forecasts remain warm despite the chance of thunderstorms during the week.

The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office.

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This is 25C for most of the UK but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher.

Temperatures are expected to reach 30C in Oxford today (Monday, July 29) before hitting 31C tomorrow (Tuesday, July 30) and Wednesday (July 31).

This is slightly warmer than the high of 29C that is expected on the Spanish island of Ibiza this week.

Simon Partridge, forecaster at Met Office, said: “There is certainly potential that it could become an actual official heatwave because in the spells you’ve had before it hasn’t actually met all the criteria.

“If there’s not, it’s very close to it, and if you’re out and about and a member of the public then it’s going to feel like a heatwave anyway because also overnight things are going to turn a little bit more humid and muggy day-on-day as well.”

Sunbathers in South Park, Oxford Sunbathers in South Park, Oxford (Image: Ed Nix) The hottest day of the year so far saw a temperature of 31.9C recorded at St James’s Park in central London on July 19.

Many parts of the country will see temperatures four to five degrees warmer than average for this time in July, the forecaster said.

The warm surge is down to a wave of high pressure across the country and warm air rising from the south, creating dry, fine and sunny conditions and bringing temperatures up.

However, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms for much of the UK on Thursday.

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Most of southern England, the Midlands and much of the North of England are covered by the alert, which comes into force at 12am on Thursday and ends at 11.59pm.

“Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop on Thursday and may lead to some disruption,” the Met Office said.

It comes after yellow heat health warnings were issued across most of England by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Despite the sudden showers, temperatures are expected to stay high heading into the first week of August.

Mr Partridge said: “Usually you get these thunderstorms to come through and then everything’s a lot cooler and fresher, but although it will be a bit fresher at the end of the week, it will still be about where we should be if not a degree or so warmer. So a bit of summer is on the cards.”

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About the author

Rob is a digital reporter who also helps covering sport stories.

He joined the Oxford Mail in February 2023 having previously been at sister paper The Bucks Free Press for two years. 

Rob completed a journalism course at Darlington College and can be found on X at @RobertFolker.