Is the heatwave set to continue? Latest weather report for the region

Temperatures will remain in the high 20s for the West Midlands, providing us all with a welcome sunshine break.

But from Monday, there will be showers moving in with the risk of thunderstorms. And it will be much cooler, dropping down to around 22C (72F).

Nationally, temperatures reached 32C (90F) in Kew Gardens, London on Wednesday, making it the hottest September day in the UK since 2016 and just 0.2C short of the hottest day of the year.

In the West Midlands it reached 29C (84F), a temperature that is likely to be matched on Saturday before it tips a little for Sunday.

The hot weekend is an unexpected boost for events being held. They include the Black Country Boating Festival in Dudley and Telford’s Sausage and Cider Festival.

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “High pressure is situated to the south east of the UK, which is bringing more settled conditions and temperatures well above average for the time of year. While the highest temperatures are expected in the south, heatwave conditions are also likely across the West Midlands. Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are also likely to see some unseasonably high temperatures.”

September’s heatwave is likely to peak on Saturday with temperatures rising as high as 33Cm(91F) in London, the Met Office has said, although further north will be cooler. That would make it the hottest day of the year, beating 32.2C in June, with the UK Health Security Agency issuing an amber warning for heat until Sunday evening at 9pm.

This means weather impacts are likely to be felt across the health service, with those aged above 65 or those with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular disease at greater risk.

Although temperatures have risen this high before in September, it is unusual for the heat to last so long with the Met Office predicting five to six days above 30C for some.

There is also a chance of tropical nights in the south, defined as having temperatures over 20C.

The heatwave is being driven by tropical storms pushing a high pressure system over the UK, with the jet stream having moved to the north and bending into what is known as an omega blocking pattern. The system has brought heavy rain to Spain and Greece.

Named after the Greek letter omega because of its shape, this system occurs when an area of high pressure gets stuck between two areas of low-pressure to the west and east and also slightly south.

This has brought torrential rain and flooding for Spain and Greece but hot, dry and clear conditions for the UK and central Europe.

Met Office chief meteorologist Neil Armstrong said: “An active tropical cyclone season in the North Atlantic has helped to amplify the pattern across the North Atlantic, pushing the jet stream well to the north of the UK, allowing some very warm air to be drawn north.

“It’s a marked contrast to the much of meteorological summer, when the UK was on the northern side of the jet stream with cooler air and more unsettled weather.”

The Met Office defines a heatwave as three consecutive days of a particular region exceeding a given threshold, which varies around the UK.

For Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Cornwall and northern England, the threshold is 25C; for Somerset, Hampshire and the Welsh Borders, 26C; the south coast, East Anglia and the East Midlands, 27C; and for London and the home counties the threshold is 28C.