The UK heatwave forecast could send temperatures to 36C in eastern and southeastern England next week, as Britain heads towards its fifth heatwave of the year, according to the BBC.
Frittenden in Kent reached 30.6 °C on Sunday, taking the UK’s 2026 total to 35 days when temperatures hit at least 30 °C somewhere in the country. That surpassed the previous record of 34 days set in 1995.
Forecasters expect Monday to bring cooler conditions before temperatures rise again. Parts of East Anglia and southeast England could reach 36C by Thursday.
The prolonged heat and dry weather are also affecting agriculture. The Met Office recorded England’s driest July on record, while farmers have reported weaker yields of crops including oats, wheat and vetch.
Suffolk farmer John Pawsey told AFP that yields on his farm had fallen between 25% and 30% after weeks of drought. His organic farm has responded by experimenting with crops, including fava beans and chickpeas, that are better suited to hotter, drier conditions.
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Food security expert Timothy Benton told AFP that farming systems would need to become more diverse as climate pressures increase. He also called for greater investment in technological innovation to strengthen food production.
