Heatwave conditions in England and Wales to continue into next week, says Met Office

The scorching heatwave conditions experienced by much of England and Wales will last until at least next week, the Met Office has said.

Temperatures in parts of England and Wales will continue to exceed 30C on Sunday and into next week, the forecaster said.

While a risk of thunderstorms could develop in parts of the south from Monday, most areas are expected to stay dry, sunny and very hot into the coming week.

A provisional maximum daily temperature of 33C was recorded in Yelverton in Devon on Saturday, the Met Office said.

It said 2026 was the first year in which temperatures of 35C were recorded in the UK on six days. Five days were recorded with temperatures over 35C in 1976 and 2020.

This year is also the first in the UK in which temperatures of 35C or higher have been experienced across three months, and it has broken the record for temperatures of 34C or higher, with nine days recorded so far at that level.

Emergency services have warned of an extreme risk of wildfires this weekend.

The London fire brigade urged people not to use disposable barbecues over fears the dry heat could leadto fires. It said the risk in London grew from “elevated” to “extreme” on Saturday, driven by factors such as prolonged dry weather, heat and wind speed, and would remain the case until Monday.

The Metropolitan police have said they are worried about excessive calls during England’s World Cup game against Norway on Saturday evening. A surge in emergency calls during the hot weather has prompted the force to urge people to call 999 only if there is an immediate danger or a crime taking place. Other offences should be reported online.

Craig Snell, a forecaster at the Met Office, said: “Today, 33C is still well above average for the time of year. The very hot conditions are going to continue to remain across the UK until at least next week.”

He added: “During the hot weather, make sure to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and check on friends and family. If you’re planning on enjoying the seaside, check the water temperature. The water still can be quite cold so make sure you’re fully aware of that to avoid cold water shocks.”

Snell said people should be mindful of waves on the south coast as strong winds could develop in the coming days.

Amber heat health alerts were issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the West Midlands and the south-west, from 9am on Sunday to 9pm on Wednesday.

This means significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

Yellow heat health alerts were posted for the East Midlands, the north-west, the south-east, the east of England and London, and will also be in place from 9am on Sunday to 9pm on Wednesday.

The UKHSA said similar significant impacts were possible across these areas, and warned of a potential increase in water-related incidents across England, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.

The body of an 18-year-old man was recovered from the water near a weir at the Darley Abbey Mills complex, near Derby, after two teenagers got into difficulty, Derbyshire constabulary said.

An 18-year-old man died at Dovestone reservoir, near Oldham, on Friday, Greater Manchester police said. Police Scotland said the body of a woman was recovered from the Falls of Falloch in Stirling, Scotland, after she got into difficulty in the water on Friday evening.

The Met Office has warned of high or very high UV levels this weekend and advised people to use sun protection when outside. A UV level of eight is forecast for most of England and Wales on Sunday, which is very high.

The forecaster said pollen levels were also expected to be high or very high in some areas, particularly in Wales and the south-west of England.

Water firms have announced hosepipe bans for the east of England, the Cambridge area, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and areas of Kent. Strain on water supplies has intensified after the successive heatwaves followed a record warm spring for England and Wales.

Hosepipe restrictions came into force on Friday for about 1 million Southern Water customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This was followed by restrictions for Anglian Water’s 5 million customers in the east of England, which took effect at 1am on Saturday.

In a notice on Thursday afternoon, Cambridge Water announced a temporary hosepipe ban for its 350,000 customers, which came into effect immediately but enforcement actions will not start until 1am next Friday.

This marks the first time in three decades that it has introduced the restriction, with the company saying teams were working around the clock to maintain supplies.

South East Water became the first to introduce a ban on 3 July for areas of Kent, including Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Snodland, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells.