The third heatwave to strike the UK in 2026 is beginning to ease as cooler northerly winds move in, following more than two weeks of sustained high temperatures across parts of England. Bournemouth logged 15 consecutive days above its 26C heatwave threshold, while London reached 34C on 18 July during a dry spell unbroken since 5 July — the capital's longest without rain since 2018.
Central and south-east England endured 14 consecutive rainless days from 2 to 15 July, the longest such run for the south-east since April 1997 and for central England since June 1996. Wisley in Surrey has now recorded 31 dry days. Nearly 499 wildfires were recorded across England and Wales between January and mid-July.
England's mean temperature sits 2.4C above the seasonal average. The Met Office notes the UK has been warming roughly 0.25C per decade since the 1980s.