Cooler for some this weekend but heatwave continues

On Friday, the maximum temperature in England of 35.2C was recorded in Coton-in-the Elms, Derbyshire, while Usk, Monmouthshire saw the highest temperature of 34.3C in Wales.

Threave, Dumfries and Galloway recorded Scotland's highest temperature of 29.7C, while the highest temperature in Northern Ireland peaked at 27.4C in Killowen, Co. Down.

On Saturday the highest temperatures will be in the west Midlands, south-east Wales and parts of southern England - up to 33C.

A brisk north-easterly wind means that eastern parts of England will feel a drop off in temperatures.

North Sea coasts from Northumberland to Suffolk could remain cloudy and misty on Saturday but should be much sunnier on Sunday.

Scotland and Northern Ireland will also see more cloud.

Showers in eastern Scotland will have died out by Sunday bringing more sunshine.

Temperatures will be 23 or 24C at best but eastern Scotland will be cooler.

On Sunday, as the wind strengthens, temperatures will be a few degrees lower still in England and Wales - but could still reach 30C in southern England.

Millions of people across the south-east of the England will be affected by hosepipe bans due to concerns over the lack of rainfall.

Anglian Water has introduced its first hosepipe ban in a decade which applies to customers in the east of England and begins at 01:00 BST on Saturday.

A ban for one million households supplied by Southern Water in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has also come into force. South East Water has its own restrictions in place.

On Thursday, Cambridge Water also announced its first hosepipe ban in 30 years.

The past winter months of December 2025 through to February 2026 brought an overall 13% more rainfall compared to average in the UK. However, there were stark regional differences. England saw 42% more than average whilst Scotland received 14% below average.

However, the spring that followed was overall 14% below the long-term meteorological average in terms of rainfall for the UK, and again varied enormously depending on where you are.

Northern England had 90% of its average, whereas there was just 50% in southern England.

Some spots in the south-east and east of England saw around a third of their average seasonal rainfall, including Suffolk (33%), Kent (33%), Essex (34%), Cambridgeshire (35%) and the City of London (36%).