England faces its fourth heatwave of the summer as temperatures are expected to climb to 34C on Wednesday. An amber heat health alert remains in place until 6pm for the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, London, and East of England following Tuesday's scorching conditions.
The highest readings on Tuesday reached 33.4C across multiple locations including Benson in Oxfordshire, Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, and Northolt in west London. Much of the rest of England remains under yellow heat alerts as the intense weather continues.
These temperatures remain well below the all-time hottest August day of 38.5C recorded in Faversham, Kent, on 10 August 2003. The hottest day of 2025 so far was 35.8C, also recorded in Faversham on 1 July.
Health warnings intensify
Dr Paul Coleman, consultant in public health at UKHSA, said: "Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30C across central and southern parts of the country over the next few days, and generally hot weather is expected across most regions of England. These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population - particularly in those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with serious health conditions - so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun."
Marco Petagna, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "Wednesday will be mostly dry with further very warm or hot sunshine, but we will see some showers, particularly in the South East during the afternoon and also a few affecting Scotland during the day, which could turn heavy and thundery. It will be another warm and hot day with maximum temperatures of 33C to 34C, highest in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire."
Weather pattern shifts ahead
Thursday will see cooler but still warm conditions with temperatures peaking around 29C to 30C in East and south-east England. A few showers are expected, particularly in northern areas, though conditions will remain warm.
Petagna said Friday "looks mostly fine, with very hot sunshine in the south and South East, where temperatures could reach 31C, while Scotland will see highs in the low 20s." Regional variations will become more pronounced as the week progresses.
Despite the intense heat, England continues to suffer from "nationally significant" water shortfalls. Five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status, despite rain in July.
The national drought group reports widespread environmental and agricultural impacts from the lack of water. These include reduced crop yields, less feed for livestock, damage to wetlands and river wildlife, and increased wildfire risks.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Mirror" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
