Brits face 27C heat surge as weather maps show 18 counties at 25C or more – list

Temperatures could soon rise as high as 27C as weather maps suggest a four-day hot spell is on the cards this month. The ECMWF weather model first shows maximum possible temperatures of 26C on the evening of May 22. The warmest weather is expected just south of London , although the mercury could reach 23C or 24C across parts of Wales , central England and the east as well. On May 23, the weather maps show highs of 27C in the south-east, with 26C coming in the Midlands. Highs of 24C are on the cards across most parts of England south of Yorkshire , the data suggests. Temperatures could reach 25C in South Wales too. The ECMWF model shows highs of 26C on the south coast of England on May 24. Similar highs are again expected in the West Midlands and close to London. Some parts of southern Scotland could see 22C heat at around 6pm too. While on May 25 - bringing an end to the four-day warm spell - highs of 25C are possible in southern and western regions. The maps show 18 counties could see highs of 25C or above across the four days. Yorkshire Nottinghamshire Derbyshire Leicestershire Staffordshire Gloucestershire Herefordshire Shropshire Warwickshire Cambridgeshire Oxfordshire Somerset Dorset Berkshire Surrey Hampshire Buckinghamshire Monmouthshire The Met Office has said temperatures could become “rather warm” towards the end of May - especially in southern areas. The Met Office forecast for May 17 to 26 states: “As this period progresses, high pressure is likely to begin to build from the south bringing more in the way of settled weather. “Temperatures likely cooler than average to begin, but tending to recover as the period progresses, perhaps becoming rather warm by the end of the period, especially in the south.” It awaits to be seen whether we could see an official heatwave this month. An official heatwave is declared when temperatures reach or exceed the heatwave threshold for three consecutive days. The heatwave threshold varies from 25C to 28C across the UK. It stands at 28C in the south-east of England where temperatures tend to be warmer, and drops to 25C the further north you go.