The UK is experiencing its third heatwave of the year, with temperatures set to reach 35C on Friday and heatwave conditions expected to persist until the end of next week before cooler, more unsettled weather arrives. The event is notable for its duration and for setting a new record: on Thursday, temperatures exceeded 34C for the eighth day in 2026, surpassing the previous high of seven such days recorded in 1976 and 2020. The prolonged heat matters because amber and yellow heat health warnings from the UK Health Security Agency remain in place across much of England, signalling likely significant impacts on health and social care services, especially for the elderly, very young and those with existing conditions.

Thursday's peak was 35.5C at Wisley in Surrey, while Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland saw highs of 31.3C, 29.3C and 27.5C respectively. On Friday the heat focus shifts west towards Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and eastern Wales, though a north-easterly breeze off the North Sea should bring some respite to eastern England over the weekend. No daily temperature records are expected to fall, and the 1976 record of 16 consecutive days above 30C is unlikely to be broken; the UK's all-time high remains 40.3C, set at Coningsby in 2022. Alongside the heat, dry conditions and light winds are driving high pollen levels, causing problems for hay fever sufferers.