The United Kingdom has just endured its hottest day of 2026 and the fifth hottest in recorded history, according to the Met Office. Temperatures soared to 38.1°C on Thursday, marking the peak of a relentless heatwave that has gripped large parts of the country.

Provisional data indicates that Kew Gardens in west London reached England’s highest temperature, surpassing the previous record of 38°C set in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June. This latest bout of extreme heat represents the UK’s fifth heatwave of the year, with meteorologists warning that this summer is on track to become the hottest since records began.

An amber heat health alert remains in effect across all of England until 21:00 BST on Friday. Authorities caution that the soaring temperatures pose significant risks to health and social care services.

The UK has only once before recorded temperatures this high twice in a single calendar year—in 2022. Thursday’s readings place it among the five hottest days in British history. Charlwood in Surrey and Pershore in Worcestershire both registered 37.8°C, while Wisley recorded 37.2°C, according to the Met Office.

Suzanne Badger, front-of-house manager at the Pickled Plum pub in Pershore, described the conditions as unbearable. "People are walking in off the street, melting," she told the BBC. "We usually say it’s hotter in the kitchen than outside—but today, it’s hotter outside. The heat in the kitchen is unbearable; it’s 36°C in there."

This year has already become the first on record to see three separate days where temperatures reached 37°C or higher. Historically, only four days in the UK have been hotter than Thursday’s peak.

The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK was 40.3°C at Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on 19 July 2022—the first and only time the country has exceeded 40°C. Before that, the record stood at 38.7°C, recorded at Cambridge Botanic Gardens on 25 July 2019. Faversham in Kent reached 38.5°C on 10 August 2003, while Pitsford, Northamptonshire, hit 38.2°C on 18 July 2022.

Amber warnings for "extreme heat" cover a broad swathe of England, stretching from London to Sheffield, parts of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Shropshire, and Herefordshire. Forecasters predict temperatures could reach 35°C in Wales, where a nationwide drought has been declared.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland faces a yellow thunderstorm warning until 06:00 on Friday, while rain is expected across much of Scotland. In England, the most intense heat of the current heatwave is believed to have passed, with temperatures forecast to drop to 30-34°C in the Midlands, East Anglia, and southern England by Friday, and further cooling to 26°C by Sunday.

Water use restrictions, including hosepipe bans, now affect more than 27 million people. Nearly three-quarters of England—approximately 45 million people—are living under drought conditions. In east London and Essex, thousands of households continue to experience water outages or low pressure, nearly a week after a series of pipe bursts in South Woodford. Thames Water has apologised for the disruption and expects supplies to be fully restored by Friday.

The extreme heat has proven deadly, with England’s A&E departments recording their busiest period on record. The unprecedented temperatures have been cited as a key factor in the surge. In July alone, 2.49 million people attended emergency departments. Preliminary figures suggest there were over 2,800 heat-related deaths in May and June—nearly double last year’s total.

An ambulance technician described working in the heat as "vile," while other healthcare workers reported being "dripping with sweat from head to toe." Health Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged the strain on the NHS, stating that extreme heat places an "additional burden" on services. She called for the NHS to prepare for summer pressures with the same urgency as it does for winter.

Wildfires have also surged, with 1,017 recorded in England and Wales this year—matching last year’s record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council. In Hampshire’s New Forest, 130 firefighters battled a blaze on Thursday that scorched an area equivalent to 230 football pitches.

Experts warn that the UK is facing increasingly extreme conditions—heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires—fuelled by climate change.