UK weather: Heatwave and sun to continue across Britain for up to a month, forecasters say

'This week will be a bit of a repeat of last week with lots of hot, dry, sunny weather for pretty much the whole of the UK,' Met Office says

After a scorching weekend across the UK, the hot weather is likely to stick around for the rest of July, forecasters say.

Temperatures reached a high 32.2C in Gosport in Hampshire on Sunday, as people across the country basked in the sun, with many flocking to beaches and parks.

Now forecasters say the weather is here to stay for weeks, with more of the same ahead.

Emma Salter, meteorologist at the Met Office said: “It is looking like for the rest of July, fine weather will dominate, with temperatures above average with hot and warm spells, and just the odd changeable spell.

“The unusual thing is how prolonged the settled spell has been. This is a good couple of weeks now and we are looking at potentially two or three more weeks of a prolonged settled spell.

“This week will be a bit of a repeat of last week with lots of hot, dry, sunny weather for pretty much the whole of the UK.”

Temperatures are set to reach highs of 30C across the south and South West with warm or hot temperatures across the rest of the country too.

Apart from the heat, some thunderstorms are expected in the Channel Islands and possibly parts of the South West on Monday, following on from some downpours that provided a break from the heat on Sunday.

Just the odd rain shower has been forecast throughout the month, primarily in the South West.

A raft of health advice has been issued during the heatwave, with hay fever sufferers warned the pollen count remains high across much of the country.

The Met Office also urged caution for those likely to be exposed to the sun for longer periods, saying UV levels were “very high”.

Ms Salter said people should stay out of the sun in the peak hours of 11am to 3pm, wear sun cream, staying hydrated and use sun hats.

Fears over a hosepipe ban across the country are growing.

Northern Ireland Water became the first to issue an official hosepipe ban on Friday.

United Utilities, which covers parts of north-west England has issued an urgent plea for people to save water to avoid the same situation, adding that more than half a billion extra litres of were used daily over the weekend.

In a statement on their website, it said: “We urgently need your help and support to avoid a hosepipe ban.

“You can help us by turning off your garden sprinklers, not using your hosepipes, not washing your car and taking shorter showers and not baths this weekend.

"The demand is so high, particularly during peak times that we are struggling to get enough water around the system quick enough.”

The heat has also led to a heightened risk of wildfires, with firefighters continuing to battle a number in the north west of England, including a huge blaze on Saddleworth Moor.