UK weather: Amber heat health alerts in place as heatwave peaks

Paired with the significant heat, the lack of rain means dry ground and low soil moisture levels will continue to be of concern.

Whilst rain and then showers are forecast across Northern Ireland, Scotland and perhaps the far north of England, barely a millimetre is likely to fall.

By Friday and into the weekend, pressure will build across the southern half of the UK prolonging the dry spell further, despite a few showers continuing in the north.

An ongoing lack of rain means hosepipe bans are in force for millions of households and dry vegetation has provided fuel for wildfires to burn in a number of areas.

According to the Met Office, rainfall in England this month is at 4.4mm, one of the lowest levels on record – tied with June 1925 and behind only February 1891 when 3.3mm were recorded.

Wisley in Surrey has been one of the driest locations in south-east England, clocking up 42 days of no rain as of 29 July.

Rainfall levels in Wales, where drought was triggered in parts last week, are so low that July 2026 is currently the fourth driest of any month since records began.