Temperatures will climb to a record-breaking 38C next week as a ‘heat dome’ is set to hit Britain, with the Met Office issuing a new four-day Amber warning for extreme weather. 

Highs of 38C have been forecast for Wednesday and Thursday by the national weather service – breaking June’s highest ever recorded temperature of a blistering 35.6C in Southampton in 1976 and Camden Square in 1957.

Amber extreme heat warnings have been extended from Monday and Tuesday into Wednesday and Thursday, covering much of southern England and Wales, the East and West Midlands, the South West and South East England, as well as the East of England. 

In London, temperatures will rise to a scorching 38C on Wednesday and Thursday, while Birmingham will see similar highs of 35C on Wednesday and 37C on Thursday. 

Overnight, the heat is expected to remain sweltering throughout next week as tropical nights have been predicted in areas where temperatures remain above 20C.  

Dew points – indicative of the air’s humidity – are also forecast to be around 22C on Wednesday and Thursday, surpassing the record-breaking July 2022 heatwave, when they did not reach above single figures. 

The new alerts, issued on Sunday, have raised concerns about the potential health impacts for people vulnerable to extreme heat and heat-related issues for the wider population, as well as a possible increase in water safety incidents. 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a separate heat health alert amid the soaring temperatures, which includes most of England from Monday morning until Friday night.   

Temperatures will climb to a record-breaking 38C next week as a ‘heat dome’ is set to hit Britain (Pictured: Crowds in Richmond, London, amid the heatwave)

The Met Office issuing a new four-day Amber warning for extreme heat

Highs of 38C have been forecast for Wednesday and Thursday in London, with Birmingham also set to reach 37C 

Highs of 38C have been forecast for Wednesday and Thursday by the Met Office

A UKHSA yellow heat alert is also in place for North East England during the same period.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Tom Crabtree, said the ongoing heatwave is ‘developing into an impactful severe weather event, with record breaking June temperatures and very high humidity.’

Mr Crabtree said: ‘The combination of heat and humidity will be oppressive and bring impacts across society from public health and infrastructure, to power and water supplies.

‘As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night. 

‘This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.’

The scorching temperatures will also coincide with rising pollen levels across the country next week, with the Met Office predicting ‘very high’ counts from Sunday. 

Pollen levels in London, southern England, the West Midlands, East Midlands, the North West and Wales will remain at the highest level from Sunday to Thursday, while a ‘high’ warning is in place for Yorkshire and the North East for most of next week. 

In Britain, one in four adults and one in eight children suffer from hay fever – also known as allergic rhinitis – according to Allergy UK, with the symptoms often worsening during the hot summer months. 

The scorching temperatures coincide with rising pollen levels across the country next week 

Pollen levels in London , southern England, the West Midlands, East Midlands, the North West and Wales will remain at the highest level from Sunday to Thursday 

On Sunday, NHS England confirmed visits to their website for hay fever advice has doubled amid the scorching temperatures, citing sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, as well as red, itchy, or watery eyes as among the most common symptoms.

The service said they recorded 12,990 visits to their NHS hay fever page from June 14 to 17  – when temperatures began to escalate – compared to 5,632 visits the previous week, totalling a rise of 131 per cent. 

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said the warm weather can increase pollen levels that might cause ‘discomfort for hay fever sufferers’.

Mr Burton said: ‘Most people will be able to manage their symptoms with medication that is available off the shelf from community pharmacies and supermarkets, and the NHS website has more advice on how to deal with the discomfort.’

However, he warned: ‘People should be careful not to double dose on medication which might make them drowsy particularly if planning to drive.’

And as the heatwave takes over Britain, many hay fever sufferers have gone to social media to document how uncomfortable their symptoms can be during the hot weather.

One TikTok user made a video stating: ‘I don’t think people realise how much hay fever actually ruins your quality of life in the summer.

‘My eyes are squinted, tissue in hand, my nose won’t stop running – I’ve gone through about two packs of tissues today already and it’s not even lunchtime. 

NHS England confirmed visits to their website for hay fever advice has doubled amid the scorching temperatures

‘I am just fed up, to be honest.’  

The video – which was posted last week – was met with comments agreeing ‘it’s awful,’ while another said: ‘I was literally bedridden all weekend & couldn’t breathe it was sooo bad.’

Amid the rising temperatures, the Met Office has recommended that hay fever sufferers ‘plan ahead and take a few simple precautions’ on days that pollen levels are predicted to be particularly high. 

The agency advices hay fever sufferers to treat early symptoms using antihistamines to prevent a full flare-up, and to use corticosteroid nasal sprays to help itchy red eyes, a runny nose, swollen sinuses and sneezing.

It also suggests taking practical steps to minimise exposure, such as removing outdoor clothing and shower or wash your hair after high pollen exposure, keeping windows shut at night and avoiding keeping flowers in your home. 

However, it is not only Britain that has been struck by the scorching heatwave – with temperatures in Europe reaching over 40C.  

On Saturday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called a crisis meeting with 14 of his ministers amid the rising heat, as orange heat warnings became active in 60 of the country’s departments. 

Meteo France, the country’s national weather agency, warned the escalating weather conditions would persist into next week – and described the heat as comparable to the 2019 heatwave that saw temperatures in excess of 45C.

Sunbathers in Marseille, France. This morning, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called a crisis meeting with 14 of his ministers amid the rising heat across the country

Children were spotted cooling off in a fountain in Munich, Germany, as temperatures across the nation climbed to 38C in some areas

Forecasters have predicted that temperatures of 39 to 40C will stretch from the southwest of France, climbing through Paris and into Burgundy – with some areas possibly reaching a scorching 41C. 

Temperatures are expected to reach their peak on Monday, potentially reaching record highs. 

Following Saturday’s meeting, Prime Minister Lecornu ⁠also pre-emptively banned alcohol at the annual Fete de la Musique festivals and other ​public events in 35 regions on Sunday.

Authorities in Paris ordered parks to ​remain open around the clock, however.

In Germany, similar sweltering conditions have been reported by Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), the country’s official weather service. 

Near-nationwide heat alerts have been issued as temperatures were recorded approaching 38C in some areas. 

The DWD weather service has also cautioned that a combination of the rising heat and humidity could trigger severe thunderstorms across the nation. 

In Italy, temperatures reaching 36 to 37C have left tourists and residents across major cities sweltering in the sun. 

Tourists queued to cool off using a public drinking fountain outside the Colosseum in Rome, Italy

A woman was spotted shading her head with her fan at the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem, during the heatwave in Lisbon

Outside Rome’s Colosseum, visitors were made to queue for entry in the blazing sun, with some seeking respite in the cooler underground areas beneath the half-hidden remains of the Temple of Claudius.

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Heatwave sweeps Europe: France imposes alcohol BAN as continent faces 40C-plus temperatures

Others were spotted cooling off using water from a public drinking fountain outside the ancient site.

Further north in Bologna – one of the hottest cities in the peninsula – people were photographed splashing water onto their faces to dull the heat at the central 16th-century Fountain of Neptune. 

Tourists were also captured sheltering in the shade of nearby porticoes.

The ongoing heatwave has also hit Spain in full force, with red and orange weather alerts in place for Monday and Tuesday – predicted to be the hottest days. 

On Tuesday, temperatures reaching 37 to 39C are expected throughout the interior of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, according to Spanish Met Office AEMET. 

Across the Tagus, Guadiana, and Guadalquivir valleys, temperatures will swell to a torrid 40 to 42C. 

A similar story is can be found in neighbouring Portugal, as the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) predict the country’s hottest temperatures to come on Tuesday and Wednesday at a whopping 42C.