We’re waving goodbye to washout July as the UK is hotting up and heading for a mini-heatwave today with highs of 30°C expected across Greater Manchester.
August is nearly here and so is the warm weather to go along with it.
Yesterday provided a glimpse into the weather we’re in store for, as temperature highs of 30°C were recorded in some parts of the UK, but forecasts indicate this will be exceeded today. The Met Office is even predicting that today could be the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures expected to hit 35°C in some areas of London and South East England.
Highs of 30°C are expected across areas of Greater Manchester.
Andy Page, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The bulk of England and Wales will have dry, very warm and sunny weather to end the week, with Friday likely to be the hottest day of the year so far for the UK”.
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Today's top temperature in the UK was 30°C, recorded in London 🌡️.
The hot weather will be more widespread tomorrow with some places in eastern and southeastern England now expected to reach 35°C. This will make it the hottest day of the year so far 🌡️ #EnjoySummerSafelypic.twitter.com/3jh2VAeyIJ
As this warm weather today won’t be sticking around for very long though, forecasters are not classing it as a heatwave, prompting many to label it as a mini-heatwave instead.
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The Met Office defines a heatwave as “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity” and the heatwave threshold, which varies depending on location, is reached when daily maximum temperatures are met or exceeded for three consecutive days.
Brent Walker, Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: “There is quite a change in the weather coming by the end of the week, with increasing sunshine and a day of hot conditions on Friday [but] it won’t persist long enough to become a heatwave as a cold front moves in on Saturday, bringing the temperatures back down to around average for the time of year.”
July 2020 has been colder than average across the whole of the UK, however that is not how it will end. The final day of the month is shaping up to be the hottest day of the year so far 🌡️ ☀️
The Met Office has also confirmed that July has been colder on average this year across the UK.
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Today’s rise in temperatures come after officials at the Met Office have spoken out about a recently published report into the effects and influence of climate change on UK weather, with Mike Kendon – Lead Author of the report for the Met Office – stating that: “The Central England Temperature series shows us that the 21st Century so far has been warmer than the previous three centuries” and Dr Mark McCarthy – Head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre – adding that: “The climate statistics over time reveal an undeniable warming trend for the UK”.
For more information ahead of this predicted warm weather, visit the Met Office website here.
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The Department of Health and Social Care has today issued advice for keeping safe during warm weather, and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service has also asked that the public remain vigilant, consider their actions and take care when in the countryside, or on the moors.
England is expected to experience high temperatures over the next few days ☀️
During heatwaves, it is vital to know how to keep cool as it can help save lives.
— Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) July 31, 2020
#EnjoySummerSafely
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Emily Sergeant -
31st July 2020 
