Heat health alerts extended as record for most 34C days in a year broken
BBC News 2026-07-09 16:52:24
Context: A severe heatwave is affecting England, with temperatures reaching 35C (95F) on Thursday, and amber heat health alerts have been extended to cover almost all of the country. The alerts, which indicate that the heat is likely to have a significant impact on health services and cause possible travel disruption, will remain in force until 21:00 BST on Sunday. The heatwave is expected to peak on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures possibly remaining above average for another week.
Key Facts
- The Met Office announced that the current heatwave has seen eight days this year where the heat has reached or exceeded 34C, breaking the record for the calendar year and surpassing 1976 and 2020.
- NHS England has warned that many of its ambulance services are facing "sustained pressure" due to the heatwave, and rail services have advised passengers to expect disruption, with several c2c trains suspended for the next two days.
- Temperatures hit 35.1C in Wisley, Surrey on Thursday afternoon, approaching the record 35.7C seen at the London tennis championship in 2015, and 30.4C was recorded in Cardiff, Wales, 27.0C in Aboyne, Scotland, and 25.0C in Killowen, Northern Ireland.
- The UK's electricity grid operator Neso has issued a request for more power to be made available during the ongoing heatwave, citing "tight electricity margins" on Thursday evening, but does not suggest a risk of shortages or blackouts.
- The number of days exceeding 30C in the UK more than trebled between 2015 and 2024 compared with the 1961-1990 average, according to the Met Office, and the maximum temperature recorded each year has also shot up, with six of the past 10 years seeing temperatures surpass 35C.