Brits braced for 32C weekend scorcher as hosepipe bans begin with summer’s third heatwave gripping nation

Households in Yorkshire became the first in the UK to be hit with a hosepipe ban, after months of extremely hot and dry weather across England.

The Met Office warned this heatwave will be "longer lived and extend further north" than those seen earlier in the summer, with high temperatures forecast over the weekend.

Forecasts are predicting highs of 32C across parts of central and southern England into Friday.

It comes as a yellow heat health alert in place for all regions in England until July 15 - despite meteorologists insisting temperatures will not reach the sweltering highs seen at the end of June.

The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, warns of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over, or with health conditions, because of the heat.

Around 80 firefighters were called to tackle a grass fire on Rainham Road in Rainham, Kent, on Thursday.

Read more: Temperatures to climb past 30C as third heatwave begins and hosepipe ban enforced

Read more: Yellow health alert in England as heatwave to peak this weekend with temperatures up to 33C

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Jason Kelly, said: “High pressure from the Atlantic will lead to a build in temperatures over the coming days, with heatwave criteria reached by the weekend. Whilst temperatures are expected to build day on day, becoming widely hot, they are unlikely to surpass those recorded at the start of the month.

"This heatwave is expected to be longer lived and extend further north and west into a larger part of the UK than previously seen this summer.

"Temperatures are expected to peak over the weekend and ease early next week. They are expected to reach 30°C in some areas today and exceed 30°C more widely tomorrow (Friday), with peak temperatures on Saturday of 33°C possible in parts of England and Wales.”

“Scotland is also expected to meet heatwave criteria over the weekend. This hot spell is forecast to last longer and cover a broader area than previous ones so far this summer and pollen and UV levels will be very high in some areas. For updates, do keep an eye on the Met Office forecast as the picture develops.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow Heat Health Alerts covering England, valid from until Tuesday 15th July.

London Fire Brigade said about ten hectares of grass and shrubland were destroyed in the blaze, the cause of which is being investigated.

Possible highs of 33C on Saturday mean the third heatwave will fall short of the top temperatures of 34.7C recorded earlier in July, but this heatwave will be more widespread, Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said.

On Friday, Yorkshire Water brings in restrictions on using hosepipes for activities such as watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools, which it said is part of its efforts to protect supplies in the face of yet more dry weather forecast for the coming weeks.

Customers who ignore the ban could face fines of up to £1,000, but the utility previously said “we hope it won’t come to that” as it urged households to help conserve water by sticking to the restrictions.

“For the next three days or so, high pressure is in charge across the UK, bringing in relatively settled conditions,” Mr Snell said.

“For most of the UK, it will be dry, sunny and warm. The temperatures will probably peak either Friday or Saturday, with highs potentially of 32C or 33C.

“As we go into Sunday, the eastern half of the UK might start to just cool down a tad. It’s still going to be very warm, but could jump down a degree or two.

“In the second half of the weekend some coastal areas, like the North Sea coast, may turn a little bit murky at times, but the weekend is generally hot and sunny for most parts of the country.

“That will obviously come with very high UV levels for most of us and also very high grass pollen levels, so not great news for hayfever sufferers.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged people to drink water regularly, seek shade and use sunscreen.

Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: “Heat is no longer just a holiday perk, it’s a growing public health risk.

“We’re seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities.”

Temperatures will fall slightly by Monday, with highs of 28C expected in London and “fresher” conditions in the north of England, with highs between 20C and 24C.

Rain could come in “showers and thunderstorms”, Mr Snell said, most likely in northern England.