Britain is bracing for another heatwave, with weather maps showing temperatures climbing back towards 35C and up to 14 counties set to swelter. Forecasters say temperatures are expected to climb steadily, and by next Wednesday (August 12), large parts of the country could be warming up again, especially in the south and east of England, with Cambridgeshire and Norfolk among the hotspots.
Record-Breaking Summer Continues
This comes after a record-breaking summer that has already delivered four distinct heatwaves. In a major milestone, Surrey hit 33.5C, taking the UK to its 20th day this year at 32C or higher. This year's summer has smashed the previous record of 19 days set back in 1995.
There is some brief respite first, with a cooler, more changeable period and rain forecast in places. But advanced modelling indicates hot air could surge back into the country from around Sunday (August 9), rebuilding the heat as the week goes on, the Met Office reported.
Counties Set to Exceed 35C
WXCharts modelling suggests as many as 14 English counties - mainly in the south and east - are set to exceed 35C next week, with highs potentially reaching 36C. The counties highlighted are: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex.
Meanwhile, Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to remain significantly milder, avoiding the worst of the blast.
Climate Shift and Drought Concerns
The 2026 summer season has been severe across the UK and continental Europe, driven by relentless “heat domes” and record-smashing temperatures that scientists say point to a major shift in the region’s climate, the BBC reported. New data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service shows Western Europe has just endured its hottest June on record, averaging 20.74C across day and night - more than 3C above the long-term norm.
Experts say the impacts go beyond sweaty nights and packed beaches. Despite a wet winter, the extreme heat has driven what’s being described as a “new type” of drought - with intense evaporative demand sucking moisture out of rivers, reservoirs and farmland.
Business Impact
"The challenge of extreme heat is 'a quiet catastrophe' for businesses — unlike storms or earthquakes," Lena Fuldauer, Head of Resilience and Business Development at Allianz Risk Consulting Businesses, told CNBC. Businesses can typically incur equipment failures and reduced operational efficiency as well as increased maintenance.
