UK's Third 2026 Heatwave Eases as Northerly Winds Cut Temperatures 5C, Rain Stays Below 5mm
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 19
UK's Third 2026 Heatwave Eases as Northerly Winds Cut Temperatures 5C, Rain Stays Below 5mm
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 19
Summary
Temperatures in northern and eastern Britain are set to run about 5C below last week as the UK's third heatwave of 2026 starts to ease after more than two weeks of extreme warmth in parts of England.
Northerly winds around slow-moving Atlantic high pressure are bringing fresher air, but that same pattern will block meaningful rain, with most places expected to get less than 5mm in the coming week.
Southern England and south Wales may cool only briefly: Bournemouth has already logged 15 days above its 26C heatwave threshold, and some southern areas could extend heatwave conditions into a third week.
Dryness remains severe in parts of England, with Wisley in Surrey reaching 31 dry days and a broad swath of central England enduring its longest dry spell since 1997; only north-west Scotland may see up to 30mm of rain.
The prolonged heat fits a wider warming trend: the Met Office says the UK has warmed about 0.25C per decade since the 1980s, making once-extreme heat increasingly normal.