Forecasters have suggested a third heatwave of the year could be just days away, with maps showing a baking peak to the heat later this month. Forecast data collected by WXCHARTS.COM indicates much of England will see sizzling conditions on the exact date of July 14, with multiple major cities rising above 30C.

A map showing maximum temperatures at 7pm shows dozens of counties from north of Leeds down towards the south coast of England enjoying temperatures between 30 and 32C, including London, Birmingham, Stoke, and Manchester. Max temperatures at this time could slightly lower in areas along the south coast, like Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent could be slightly cooler, though still mostly in the upper 20s.

It could also be slightly cooler along south coast and South West of England, with temperatures ranging between around 18 and 29C.

Most of Wales is also expected to be in the mid to high 20s this time.

Mainland areas of Great Britain north of Leeds look set to range between around 23C and 26C, though islands off the north of Scotland could see temperatures rising only as high 13C. Islands off the west and north west coast look set to range from around 16C to 23C, the maps suggest.

Highs in Northern Ireland look to be between 19 and 24C.

It comes as the Met Office said in a press release that conditions are expected to warm up this week, "with heatwave criteria being reached in parts of the UK by the end of the week".

The mercury could climb into the low 30s, though the heatwave is "not expected to see temperatures quite as high as the one experienced at the end of June/early July", with a high of 35.8C recorded in Faversham, Kent.

The government agency's Chief Meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: "High pressure from the Atlantic will lead to a build in temperatures over the coming days, with heatwave criteria reached by the weekend. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C in some areas towards the end of the week. England may reach 30°C on Thursday, with up to 32°C possible in parts of England and Wales on Friday.

"Scotland is also expected to meet heatwave criteria over the weekend. This hot spell is forecast to last longer and cover a broader area than previous ones so far this summer, and affect areas further north and west. For updates, do keep an eye on the Met Office forecast as the picture develops.

"In addition, pollen and UV levels will also be very high in some areas."

In the UK, a heatwave is defined by the Met Office as when a location records "at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold", though this varies by county.

Due to the sustained period of heat expected in the coming days, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts for large parts of England from Wednesday at 10am until Tuesday, July 15, at 10am.

Areas covered by the alert include: London, the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, South East and South West.

The alert warns there is "potential for significant impacts across health and social care services from high temperatures" during this period.

The alerts are designed to help healthcare professionals manage during periods of extreme temperature, when older people, and those with underlying health conditions are particularly vulnerable.

You can find guidance on what precautions to take during hot weather here.