UK weather: Heatwave could last two months, beating records set by sizzling summer of 1976 The heatwave currently sending temperatures soaring around Britain could last as long as two months, with experts predicting it may well end up beating the scorching summer of 1976 for maximum temperatures and longevity. The Met Office today extended its level two health alert, warning that dangerously high temperatures could last until the end of July. On Saturday - the hottest day of the year so far with temperatures of 31.4C - the Met Office raised the alert to level three; the final point before the situation is declared an emergency and special measures taken to save lives. There is no immediate end in sight to the sizzling summer weather however, with forecasters predicting the heatwave is likely to continue well past the current health alert expiry point, leading to a blisteringly hot August. If that happens and temperatures stay at similar levels to what they are now, the heatwave of 2013 will beat that of 1976 - currently the hottest summer average temperature since records began. Jonathan Powell, a forecaster at Vantage Weather Services, told the Express newspaper: "There is not a shred of evidence it is going to end any time soon... The rest of July is showing a similar picture and now August looks like following suit, so we could be looking at another six weeks or more of this." He added: "In terms of historic heatwaves this is now looking like giving 1976 a run for its money. There is no sign of it cooling down. Today is Saint Swithin's Day and, according to folklore, if the weather today is good, another 40 days of fine weather will follow. In the highly unlikely event it rains today, those that hold the legend to be true believe the downpours will last for another 40 days.