London is set for a brief return to summer-like warmth this weekend, but forecasters say there is currently little sign of another heatwave on the horizon.
After a cool and breezy Friday, temperatures are expected to climb on Saturday before reaching around 26C on Sunday, according to the latest Met Office forecast. The warmer spell will be short-lived, however, with cloud, rain and stronger winds returning from Monday into Tuesday.
The weekend warmth comes just days after the Met Office confirmed that summer 2026 was the UK’s hottest on record, with a provisional average mean temperature of 16.5C. The figure surpassed the previous record of 16.1C set in 2025.
London experienced some of the most extreme heat of the summer. The capital recorded 38.1C at Kew Gardens on 13 August, the highest temperature recorded anywhere in the UK during the season.
The latest forecast suggests Sunday will provide the next taste of that warmth, with the Met Office describing conditions as “very warm” and isolated showers possible. BBC Weather similarly forecasts a rather warm and sunny day, although showers cannot be completely ruled out during the afternoon and evening.
But there is an important difference between a warm spell and a heatwave. For London to experience another significant heatwave, temperatures would need to remain exceptionally high for several days. The current forecast does not point to that happening. Instead, temperatures are expected to fall back as the week progresses, with rain and strong winds arriving on Tuesday.
The Met Office’s longer-range outlook also offers little certainty of another major burst of heat in the immediate future. From 8 to 17 September, unsettled weather is expected to dominate, with showers and longer spells of rain interspersed with drier periods. Temperatures are likely to be near average, although southern and eastern areas could enjoy longer dry spells.
There is, however, some hope for those wanting another taste of summer. The Met Office says more settled weather is increasingly likely towards mid-September, potentially bringing drier conditions, lighter winds and some warmer weather. Its outlook for the second half of September also suggests temperatures could initially be slightly above average, particularly in the south-east, although confidence at that range remains low.
That means another warm spell cannot be ruled out — but it is too early to say that London is heading for another heatwave.
According to the Met Office, a summer as warm as 2026 would have been exceptionally unlikely in a climate unaffected by human greenhouse-gas emissions.
The record-breaking summer also saw 54 Met Office weather stations break their all-time daily maximum temperature records, while temperatures of at least 30C were recorded on 40 days across the UK.
For London, though, the immediate outlook is much less extreme.
Friday will begin with rain clearing southwards, followed by a mostly cloudy and breezy afternoon. Clear skies are expected tonight before a calmer and sunnier Saturday.
Sunday is likely to be the standout day, with temperatures rising into the mid-20s and sunny spells — potentially offering Londoners one final taste of summer before more unsettled weather arrives.
So, will London get another heatwave?
For now, the answer is not in the current forecast. A warm Sunday is expected, and warmer conditions remain possible later in September, but there is no reliable indication yet of another prolonged spell of exceptional heat.
London weather day-by-day
- Friday 4 September: Rain clearing southwards, then mostly cloudy, cool and breezy. Around 21–23C.
- Saturday 5 September: Calm, dry and increasingly sunny, with a few areas of light cloud. Around 22–23C.
- Sunday 6 September: Very warm and sunny, although isolated afternoon or evening showers are possible. Around 26C.
- Monday 7 September: Cloudy at times with sunny spells and a chance of a light shower. Around 22–24C.
- Tuesday 8 September: Cooler, cloudy and wet, with showery rain and strengthening winds. Around 20C.
- Wednesday 9 September: Brighter with sunny periods and temperatures around 19C.
- Thursday 10 September: Mainly cloudy, with temperatures around 20C.
