The Met Office has confirmed that temperatures exceeded 34°C on Thursday, marking the eighth day this has happened in 2026. This makes 2026 a record year for the most days reaching 34°C or higher, beating the previous record of seven days set in both the summer of 1976 and 2020. Temperatures are expected to peak on Thursday and Friday, with some areas in England potentially hitting 36°C.
The series of unusually hot spells is causing growing impacts on health, agriculture, water resources, energy, wildfire risks and transport. Scientists warn that such events are becoming more intense and frequent due to human-driven climate change. Concerns are also rising over potential drought conditions after the warmest spring on record, with East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall facing particularly dry conditions.
Several hosepipe bans have been announced. Cambridge Water introduced a temporary ban for its 350,000 customers, the first such restriction in three decades, citing record demand and low rainfall. South East Water was the first to impose a ban, effective from 3 July in parts of Kent. Southern Water will introduce restrictions for around one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from Friday.
The National Fire Chiefs Council has flagged an increasing risk of wildfires due to the dry and hot weather, advising against disposable barbecues in open countryside. Meanwhile, the National Energy System Operator issued a plea for more power generation, forecasting tight electricity margins due to extreme temperatures in Europe.
Health officials are urging families and carers to check on people living with dementia, after a UK Health Security Agency analysis found that 254 of the 1,504 heat-associated deaths in England last summer were linked to dementia, accounting for about one in six of such deaths.
