UK heatwave eases as temperatures and humidity are set to fall

Temperatures and humidity are set to fall across the UK over the next few days, bringing a short break from the latest heatwave in parts of southern and eastern England. Lower humidity should make homes feel cooler and nights more comfortable for sleeping, but the easing is unlikely to last long.

BBC Weather had already warned on 11 July that the UK’s third heatwave of the year was set to intensify again after a slight drop in temperatures for some on Monday, with more places in England and Wales potentially exceeding 30C. The Met Office said on 14 July that summer 2026 had been an extraordinary season so far, with three distinct heatwaves and frequent temperatures into the mid-30s Celsius.

That pattern matters because the heat has not arrived as a single burst. The Met Office said on 15 July that the dry and hot weather for much of the UK had lasted for quite a while longer than usual, and its forecast on 21 July said heat would start re-building across parts of England and Wales, with temperatures possibly approaching 30C by Friday. BBC Weather also said parts of the UK had gone through a first half of summer dominated by warm, sunny and largely dry weather, while some central areas had seen the longest dry spell since 1997.

The short-lived cool-down gives households and public services only a narrow window to recover before the next spike. BBC Weather highlighted in June that the south-east of England experienced mains water supply issues during the record-breaking heatwave at the end of May because demand surged, a reminder that water, cooling and staffing pressures can build quickly when hot spells stack up.

That risk extends beyond comfort at home. BBC Weather said the season’s impacts were already being felt in health and wildfire risk, and the Met Office said in June that the UK could see more heatwaves in a warmer-than-average summer. For health services, schools, transport operators and vulnerable households, a brief drop in temperature is less a finish line than a chance to check ventilation, water supplies, travel plans and support for people least able to cope if heat returns fast.