The UK has regularly experienced temperatures topping 30C this summer (Image: Getty)
The Met Office has said the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record, with only average conditions needed for the rest of August to beat the record set just last year. Some parts of the country face a fifth heatwave of the summer, with amber extreme heat warnings in place for parts of England on Thursday when temperatures could hit 38C in some spots.
Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, after a record dry July and very dry start to August has combined with high temperatures to put pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment. Southern Water has applied for a rare non-essential use ban drought order, which, if imposed, would mean businesses must stop using water for activities such as cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools. In its application, the firm said an “exceptional” shortage of rain in the South East “demonstrates a clear threat to supplies within the Hampshire Southampton West (HSW) water resource zone, as well as the Isle of Wight (IOW)”.
It added that 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could “soon be significantly affected by a restricted water supply”.
The application will now be considered by Environment Secretary Angela Eagle, with a decision expected as soon as possible.
A non-essential use ban has not been imposed for 20 years, with the last one granted to Sutton and East Surrey Water in May 2006.
Provisional statistics from the Met Office show that the mean temperature for the summer so far, from June 1, stands at 16.48C – which is 1.88C above the 1991 to 2020 average.
To equal the 16.12C in 2025, the UK’s warmest summer on record, the rest of August would only need to be 0.21C below the long-term average, and any warmer than this would establish a new record for the country, the Met Office said.
For England and Wales, which have seen temperatures more than 2C above average so far this summer, it is even more likely that June to August 2026 will be record-breaking.
Moreover, in a summer that has been marked by extreme weather, temperatures are to spike again this week.
Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought (Image: Getty)
The Met Office has issued a rare amber warning for extreme heat for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday, with temperatures possibly climbing to as high as 37C or even 38C in some places.
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued.
“High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day by day. Southerly and south-easterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe which helps develop this further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.”
Amber health heat alerts are already in place for most of England including the Midlands, South East, North West and South West, and a yellow alert is in force for the North East from Tuesday morning until Friday evening.