Met Office verdict on UK heatwave as mercury to rise to 27C next week A 'very fine spell of weather' has been predicted Highs of 27C are predicted for the UK Balmy highs of 27C are set to sweep the UK within days. According to the Met Office, temperatures are forecast to rise next week across many parts of Britain. ‌ Some areas in southern England are expected to reach 27C on Wednesday, April 30. Article continues below A weakening weather front will bring some rain to western parts of the UK this weekend before fine conditions start to build into early next week. The warmer conditions have led many to question whether the UK will be seeing its first official heatwave of the year. The Met Office said that a heatwave in the UK occurs when a 'location records at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold'. ‌ READ MORE: Exact dates 27C sunshine to hit UK as Met Office issues heatwave verdict Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here. Across the UK, this threshold varies by county. ‌ While the mercury is anticipated to rise to 27C next week, the Met Office is not confident this will meet heatwave thresholds. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver said 'next week’s conditions are likely to fall just outside of official Met Office heatwave thresholds'. He said: "However, this shouldn’t lead to any disappointment as many can anticipate a very fine spell of weather with temperatures reaching 27°C during the middle of the week." ‌ The highest recorded April temperature was when Camden Square in London recorded 29.4C on April 16, 1949. Met Office chief forecaster Matthew Lehnert said: "We are not expecting the April UK temperature record to be broken, but some locations may nudge local records. "Often warm spells are driven by warmer air arriving from further south, but the origins of next week’s air are from Scandinavia and central Europe. Article continues below "This air mass will be warmed by compression as the high pressure begins to build, and this warmth will be boosted by daytime heating from the April sun." A heatwave is an 'extended period of unusually hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year', the Met Office said. These periods are 'often accompanied by high humidity, making the heat feel even more intense'.