Temperatures have reached record levels in Merseyside and across the country this week.
Large parts of the UK have been under red and amber weather warnings for extreme heat this week, putting pressure on rail networks, roads and other services. This period of extreme weather is set to come to an end from tomorrow when temperatures are expected to drop to 18 degrees and thunder is forecast.
By Thursday, the Met Office said temperatures in the North West will be nearer to the seasonal average for this time of year. But will there be another heatwave this summer? Here's everything you need to know.
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Chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Paul Davies, said today that temperatures will ease from next Wednesday onwards but warned another heatwave later in summer could not be ruled out.
Mr Davies told Sky News: “When we look to the future in terms of the next week, there is an easier time because in fact the temperatures start to ease back to what we describe as slightly above normal from about Wednesday onwards.
“But as we move into all this, you just can’t rule out another plume.”
According to the latest forecast for the North West, Wednesday will be considerably less hot with isolated showers and thunder at times. Any thunderstorms in the south on Saturday morning will clear eastward, leaving a bright day with sunny intervals and just a scattering of showers for some.
The Met Office said: "It will then turn unsettled from the west later in the weekend, with showers and some longer spells of rain, locally heavy and perhaps thundery, accompanied by some stronger winds at times. Fine and dry weather is likely to arrive for many further into the period, as high pressure will slowly build over at least southern UK through the middle of next week."
Temperatures are expected to stay close to the average for late July, but could be warmer in the south at times. As we move into August, forecasters predict unsettled weather conditions become more likely, but with "some decent dry spells."
For the first half of August, the Met Office said: "There remains a risk of some thunderstorms, especially in the southern half of the country where above normal temperatures are likely through the period. Elsewhere, temperatures may range from near normal to rather warm."
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