UK Heatwave 2026: Latest Forecast, Alerts and When It Will End

The UK is in its fourth heatwave of 2026. Heat began building on 28 July and is peaking on 29 July, with highs of up to 35°C in the southeast.

The UK Health Security Agency has an amber heat-health alert in force for the East Midlands, East of England, London and the South East. A yellow alert covers Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the South West over the same period.

Where things stand now

This is the UK’s fourth heatwave of summer 2026, following spells in May, June and early July. There is no Met Office extreme heat weather warning currently in force; only the UKHSA health alert system is active.

• Fourth heatwave of 2026: began 28 July, peaking 29 July.
• Highs of up to 35°C in London, the South East, the East Midlands and the East of England.
• UKHSA amber alert: East Midlands, East of England, London, South East, 9am Tue 28 July to 9am Thu 30 July.
• UKHSA yellow alert: Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, South West, same period.
• No Met Office extreme heat weather warning currently in force.
• Cooldown expected from Thursday 30 July.

A cooldown is expected from Thursday 30 July, with highs easing to around 29°C in the southeast. More unsettled, rainier weather is possible from around Sunday 2 August, though confidence in that is still low.

What this guide covers

Below you will find the latest forecast, when the heat is expected to break, the warnings explained, and practical ways to stay cool at home and on the move.

If the heat has you craving somewhere cooler, you can compare flights to cooler escapes like Oslo, browse hotels in Edinburgh, or check live flight status before you travel.

Is the UK in a heatwave right now?

Yes. The UK is in its fourth heatwave of 2026, which began on 28 July and is peaking on 29 July with highs up to 35°C in the southeast.

The hottest conditions are across London, the South East, the East Midlands and the East of England, the same regions covered by the UKHSA’s amber heat-health alert.

UK heatwave forecast: how hot will it get?

The heat is peaking on 29 July, with highs of up to 35°C across the southeast. The table below shows which regions are under each UKHSA heat-health alert level.

London and the South East

The hottest region, with highs reaching 35°C at the peak. Urban areas such as London trap heat overnight, so nights feel uncomfortable too.

East Midlands and East of England

Also under the amber alert, with very warm, dry conditions through the peak of the spell.

Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands and South West

These regions are under the milder yellow alert, with warm but slightly less intense heat than the amber zone.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

These areas remain outside both alert zones and stay noticeably cooler. If you want a cooler break without leaving the country, Edinburgh and the Highlands are a good shout.

When will the UK heatwave end?

The heat is expected to ease from Thursday 30 July, when high pressure breaks down and highs in the southeast drop to around 29°C. Temperatures should move closer to the seasonal norm by Friday.

Forecasters see a chance of more unsettled, rainier weather from around Sunday 2 August, though confidence in that outlook is still low.

Will there be another heatwave in 2026?

Possibly. 2026 has already produced four heatwaves, and further warm spells later in the summer cannot be ruled out.

The year is already exceptional: it is the first year on record with UK temperatures of 35°C or higher in three separate months.

• 1st heatwave, May: a record 35.1°C at Kew Gardens, a new May record.
• 2nd heatwave, late June: a UK record 37.7°C at Lingwood, Norfolk, and a Wales record of 35.9°C at Bute Park, Cardiff; a rare Met Office Red Extreme Heat Warning was in force for three consecutive days, the first time that has happened.
• 3rd heatwave, early July: peaked at 35.5°C at Wisley, Surrey, on 9 July.
• 4th heatwave, late July: began 28 July, peaking 29 July with highs up to 35°C in the southeast, under a UKHSA amber alert.

UK heatwave warnings explained: amber, red and heat-health alerts

Two separate systems run during hot spells, and only the health system is currently active. One covers the weather, the other covers health.

Met Office Extreme Heat Warnings

These are colour coded, and none is currently in force.

• Yellow means some impacts are possible.
• Amber means significant impacts are likely, including effects on travel and vulnerable people.
• Red is the top level and signals a risk to life for the whole population, even healthy adults.

UKHSA Heat-Health Alerts

Issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the health and care system, using the same yellow, amber and red scale.

An amber alert is currently in force for the East Midlands, East of England, London and the South East, with a yellow alert covering Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the South West, both running until 9am Thursday 30 July.

What is the Met Office “11am rule”?

It refers to the heat-safety advice to stay out of direct sun during the hottest, highest-UV part of the day, roughly 11am to 3pm. If you can, move activity to the early morning or the evening, and stay in the shade when the sun is at its strongest.

The same window is when UV levels peak, so it is also the most important time to cover up, wear sunscreen and keep children and older relatives indoors or shaded.

How to sleep in a heatwave

Sleep is the hardest part of a UK heatwave, because most homes are built to hold heat in. The biggest risk is a tropical night, when the temperature never drops below 20°C, which is common in many urban areas during a heatwave.

Here is what actually helps.

• Cool the room during the day, not just at night. Close curtains and blinds on the sunny side from late morning to block heat before it builds.
• Create a through-draught after dark. Once the outside air is cooler than inside, open windows on opposite sides of your home.
• Use a fan with a bowl of ice in front of it to push cooler air around the room.
• Cool your body, not the whole house. A lukewarm shower before bed, light cotton bedding and a cool damp flannel on your wrists or neck all help.
• Hydrate through the evening and keep a glass of water by the bed.

How to keep your home cool

The trick is to block heat early and let it out late. A few small changes make a real difference indoors.

• Keep curtains and blinds closed on whichever side the sun is hitting. Reflective or blackout linings work best.
• Keep windows shut while it is hotter outside than in, then open them once the evening air cools.
• Turn off heat sources such as ovens, tumble dryers and unused electronics, which all warm the room.
• Place fans low and angled across the room, and remember a fan cools skin rather than air, so it does less in a very hot room.
• Cool the spaces you actually use and shut doors to rooms you are not in.

Travelling during the UK heatwave: flights, trains and roads

Extreme heat can disrupt travel. Rails can buckle in the highest temperatures, so expect possible speed restrictions and delays on the railways during this spell.

Roads can soften in the worst of the heat, and airports occasionally see delays when temperatures are very high.

What to do if you are flying

Check your flight status early with the Wego flight tracker, and look up your airline directly, for example British Airways, for the latest updates.

Carry water, build in extra time, and avoid travelling at the peak of the afternoon heat where you can.

Where to escape the heat: cooler UK and cooler abroad

If you would rather get out of the heat altogether, you have two options: head somewhere cooler in the UK, or fly to a genuinely cool-climate destination.

Cooler spots in the UK

The coasts, the hills and the far north stay noticeably cooler.

Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District and the Pembrokeshire and Cornish coasts are reliable choices. Browse hotels in Edinburgh for a cool-climate city break close to home.

Cool-climate escapes abroad

For a proper coolcation, the Nordics are hard to beat in summer.

• Flights to Oslo and hotels in Oslo.
• Flights to Reykjavik, with its cool Atlantic air, and Reykjavik hotels.
• Flights to Helsinki and Helsinki hotels.
• Flights to Bergen, a fjord city with fresh sea air and mountain trails.
• Flights to Tromso, in Arctic Norway, cool even at the height of summer.

What counts as a heatwave in the UK?

A UK heatwave has a specific definition. The Met Office declares one when a location records at least three consecutive days at or above a county-based temperature threshold.

That threshold varies by region, since what counts as unusually hot differs across the country.

This is why the southeast can be in an official heatwave while cooler northern areas are not, even on the same warm day.

Why is the UK so hot? The science

This latest spell is being driven by an area of high pressure building over the UK itself, often called a heat dome, which traps warm air and clears the skies so the sun heats the ground day after day.

Forecasters describe it as “home-grown heat” rather than air pulled in from abroad. Earlier heatwaves this year drew hot air up from Iberia and North Africa, a pattern nicknamed the Spanish plume, aided by a jet stream that had shifted north.

Why records keep falling

Climate change is loading the dice. A warmer baseline makes record-breaking heat more frequent and more intense, which is why the UK has now recorded 35°C or higher in three separate months for the first time.

Heat health: spotting heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Heat is a serious health risk, and the heat periods of recent UK summers have been linked to thousands of excess deaths in England. Knowing the warning signs matters.

Heat exhaustion

Signs include tiredness, dizziness, headache, heavy sweating, cramps and feeling sick.

It is not usually an emergency if the person cools down within 30 minutes. Move them somewhere cool, give water, and cool their skin.

Heatstroke

This is a medical emergency. Warning signs include a very high temperature, hot skin that is not sweating, confusion and loss of consciousness.

Call 999 immediately if you suspect heatstroke.

Who is most at risk

Older adults, babies and young children, pregnant women and people with heart, lung or kidney conditions are most vulnerable. Check on elderly neighbours and relatives during the hottest days.

Hosepipe bans and drought

The sustained hot, dry summer has left large parts of England in drought or facing water restrictions. Around 23 million people are currently under hosepipe bans, including Thames Water’s roughly 10 million customers.

Check your own supplier for the rules in your area, as restrictions differ between regions and can change quickly during a long, dry summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UK in a heatwave right now?

Yes. The UK is in its fourth heatwave of 2026, which began on 28 July and is peaking on 29 July, with highs up to 35°C in the southeast under a UKHSA amber alert.

When will the UK heatwave end?

From Thursday 30 July. Highs in the southeast are expected to ease to around 29°C, with a return closer to seasonal norms by Friday.

How hot will it get in the UK?

Up to 35°C. The hottest conditions on 29 July are across London, the South East, the East Midlands and the East of England.

What is the Met Office 11am rule?

Avoid direct sun from 11am to 3pm. It is the advice to stay out of the sun during the hottest, highest-UV part of the day, and to shift activity to the morning or evening.

What temperature counts as a heatwave in the UK?

At least three days in a row above a county threshold. Thresholds range from 25°C to 28°C, with 28°C the bar in London and the South East.

Will there be another heatwave in 2026?

It is possible. This is already the fourth heatwave of the summer, and 2026 is the first year on record with 35°C or higher recorded in three separate months.

Is it safe to travel during the UK heatwave?

Travel is possible but can be disrupted. Expect rail speed restrictions and possible delays, carry water, avoid the afternoon peak, and check your flight status before heading to the airport.

Sources

1. Met Office — A mixed week ahead, with rain for some, a potential heatwave and average temperatures towards the weekend
2. UKHSA / GOV.UK — UKHSA updates heat-health alerts across England
3. UKHSA — Weather Health Alerts: Heat dashboard
4. Met Office — Third heatwave of the year to bring prolonged spell of hot and dry weather
5. Met Office — Red Extreme Heat Warning in force as record-breaking June temperatures forecast
6. Met Office — Extreme Heat Warning extended as temperatures forecast to reach 38°C
7. Wikipedia — 2026 United Kingdom heatwaves: overview and records
8. ITV News — The areas of England at risk of drought and where hosepipe bans are in place
9. NHS — Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

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