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Temperatures across various parts of the UK are expected to drop slightly this weekend, offering some relief from the current heatwave. Nevertheless, the period of unusually hot weather is predicted to persist, with heat health warnings still active for most areas of England. The hottest zones, which had been concentrated in south-east England, are anticipated to shift westward, affecting regions such as the West Midlands and south-east Wales, due to an intensifying north-easterly wind.
Friday marked a recent peak in temperatures, exceeding 35°C and setting a new record for the number of days in a calendar year with temperatures above this threshold—bringing the count for 2026 thus far to six days. Additionally, days with temperatures of 34°C or higher have reached nine, another record. Parts of Scotland officially entered a heatwave after experiencing at least three consecutive days with temperatures reaching 25°C or more. Despite the heatwave, the UK Health Security Agency has maintained amber and yellow heat health alerts across large areas of England until 9 pm BST on Sunday.
On Friday, the highest temperature recorded in England was 35.2°C at Coton-in-the-Elms, Derbyshire. In Wales, Usk in Monmouthshire experienced 34.3°C, while Scotland’s high was 29.7°C in Threave, Dumfries and Galloway. Northern Ireland saw its highest temperature at 27.4°C in Killowen, County Down. Looking ahead to Saturday, temperatures around 33°C are expected in the West Midlands, south-east Wales, and parts of southern England. However, a brisk northeast wind will cause cooler temperatures in eastern England. Coastal areas along the North Sea, spanning from Northumberland to Suffolk, may remain cloudy and misty on Saturday, though sunnier conditions are expected by Sunday. Scotland and Northern Ireland are also forecast to see more cloud cover, and temperatures in eastern Scotland will remain lower, with some showers fading by Sunday.
While temperatures are predicted to decrease somewhat through the weekend, the heatwave will not come to an end. High pressure will continue to dominate to the north of the UK, and although northeast winds will gradually weaken, warmer air from northern France will push back across southern England during the following week, raising temperatures again to around 32–33°C. Forecasts indicate that the UK might experience a run of possibly 12 consecutive days with temperatures of 30°C or above, though this streak could end by next weekend. In terms of rain, widespread precipitation is unlikely. Some showers may develop in the far south-west of England on Monday, but these will fade as they move northward. By the end of next week, there might be a slight increase in rain chances, mostly limited to southern England and brief in duration. High pressure is forecast to return over the UK from the Atlantic by the weekend, bringing cooler winds but little to no rain.
The ongoing dry conditions have also led to increased water restrictions across southern England. Millions of residents are now subject to hosepipe bans amid concerns about water supply shortages caused by the lack of rainfall. Anglian Water has imposed its first hosepipe ban in ten years, effective from early Saturday morning for customers in the east of England. Similarly, Southern Water has initiated restrictions covering approximately one million households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, while South East Water has already implemented its own measures. Cambridge Water announced its first ban in three decades on Thursday. Although the winter months of December 2025 through February 2026 saw 13% more rainfall than average nationally, with England receiving 42% more and Scotland 14% less than usual, the subsequent spring was notably drier overall, registering 14% below the long-term average. This deficit varied by region, with northern England getting close to 90% of normal rainfall, while southern England received just 50%. Some southeastern areas experienced only about a third of their average seasonal precipitation, including Suffolk, Kent, Essex, Cambridgeshire, and the City of London.
The combination of warm temperatures, dry weather, and freshening winds is raising concerns about wildfire risk across many parts of England and Wales. The Met Office has warned that extreme wildfire conditions are likely to persist through the weekend. A spokesperson from the National Fire Chiefs Council emphasized the danger, stating, “When the weather stays hot and dry, it only takes one spark to start a wildfire. What can begin as a small fire can spread incredibly quickly, putting people, homes, wildlife and our countryside at risk.” Forestry England, responsible for managing around 1,500 woodlands and forests, has classified the wildfire threat as extreme and urges the public to abstain from lighting fires or barbecues in these areas
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