Highlights
- Amber extreme heat warning covers London, eastern England, the south-east, Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and the Humber.
- 2026 could become the first year to record four days of 36C or higher.
- The country is on course for its warmest summer on record for a second year running.
A RARE amber warning for extreme heat has come into force across large parts of England, with temperatures expected to reach 38C in some areas on Thursday (13).
The Met Office warning is in place from 9am until midnight across eastern England, London and the south-east, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and the Humber. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-30s across much of the warning area.
England is also under amber heat-health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency until 9pm on Friday (14). The warning comes as the UK faces its fifth widespread heatwave of the year.
The alerts warn of significant pressure on health and social care services, including a possible rise in deaths, particularly among people aged 65 and over and those with existing health conditions.
Heat could also cause dehydration and heat exhaustion, while power cuts and delays to rail and air travel are possible.
Humid air moving into western areas could bring several "tropical nights", when temperatures remain at or above 20C overnight. Persistent heat during both the day and night can put additional stress on the body, reports said.
Temperatures to fall from the weekend
The Met Office expects the heatwave to be short-lived, lasting two or three days. Temperatures should start to fall from the weekend, although they are expected to remain around or slightly above the mid-August average.
More temperature records could also be broken.
Wednesday (12) was the first day in August this year when temperatures reached 35C or higher, making 2026 the fourth consecutive month to record temperatures at that level.
If temperatures reach 36C or more on Thursday, 2026 will become the first year on record to have four separate days at or above 36C. The previous record of three such days is shared by 1990, 2003, 2020 and 2026.
Some places, including London, could reach 38C. The UK's highest temperature so far this year is 38C, recorded at Lingwood in Norfolk on June 26.
The August temperature record is 38.5C, set in 2003.
According to the Met Office, the average temperature from June 1 to August 10 was already 16.48C, above last year's record summer mean of 16.10C.
Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said, "Another record-breaking summer now looks increasingly likely for the UK."
He added that the figures were "a clear reminder" of the changes taking place in the UK's climate.
England and Wales also had their driest July on record, with drought affecting large parts of the country.
Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves and droughts more intense and increasing the frequency of temperature records.
(with inputs from agencies)
