The UK recorded its hottest day of the year so far on Thursday, with temperatures provisionally reaching 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London, according to the Met Office.
Record-Breaking Temperatures
This is the second time this year the country has seen temperatures of 38C, surpassing the previous 2026 high of 38C recorded during the late June heatwave, when the UK was under a rare "red warning" for extreme heat. The only other year with two separate occasions of 38C was 2022, which saw the UK's all-time highest temperatures. Thursday has become the fifth hottest day ever recorded in the UK.
The sweltering conditions have made 2026 the first year on record to see three distinct days where temperatures climbed to 37C or above, as well as the first year to feature four days at 36C or above, further extending the record-breaking sequence of days exceeding 35C.
Heat Warnings and Health Alerts
Large swathes of England remain under an amber warning for extreme heat, amid what is now the fifth heatwave of a summer characterized by exceptionally dry conditions and widespread drought across much of England and Wales. The amber warning covers a broad stretch of England from London to Sheffield, parts of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, through to Gloucestershire and Wiltshire in the South West and Shropshire and Herefordshire in the west, and remains in force until the close of Thursday.
A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued for Northern Ireland, valid until 6am on Friday. Amber heat health alerts remain in effect across most of England until Friday, with officials encouraging people to adopt straightforward precautions including avoiding sun exposure during the hottest hours, checking on vulnerable relatives and neighbours, and ensuring adequate hydration.
Climate Change and Wildfires
The UK is experiencing increasingly severe conditions including heatwaves, drought and wildfires driven by climate change, which is predominantly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels for power generation, transport, heating and industrial purposes. Baroness Brown, who chairs the independent advisory Climate Change Committee's adaptation work, warned it "gets worse from here" until greenhouse gas emissions are cut to zero overall, known as net zero.
Climate advisers are also calling on the Government to implement measures preparing the UK for intensifying extremes, from simplifying the process for farmers to construct reservoirs to installing air conditioning in hospitals and offering grants for vulnerable households to do likewise.
Following record dry conditions throughout July and a parched beginning to August, nearly three-quarters of England and the entirety of Wales are experiencing drought, placing significant strain on water supplies for domestic use, farming and the natural environment. England and Wales have already experienced as many wildfires this year as throughout the whole of 2025. Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council, the same as last year's record-breaking total. Firefighters from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have been continuing their efforts to tackle a fire that broke out on protected heathland in the New Forest, after a van ignited on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.
