The United Kingdom is enduring its third official heatwave of 2025, with high-pressure systems driving record-breaking heat and dry conditions across much of the country. According to the Met Office, large swathes of the UK have now met the official UK heatwave criteria for 2025, as temperatures are expected to soar as high as 34°C in some regions through the weekend.
The Met Office confirmed that this heatwave is more widespread and intense than previous warm spells this year. “The current heatwave is more widespread than previous heatwaves this summer,” said Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington.
In response, the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office have jointly issued an amber heat-health alert for much of England. The alert indicates a high probability of weather-related impacts on public health and the healthcare system, particularly for vulnerable groups, including those aged 65 and older and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Scotland is also expected to feel the heat, with parts of the central and northeast regions potentially recording their hottest day of the year, reaching 31°C on Saturday.
Compounding the heat, the Environment Agency has reported that England is experiencing its driest start to a year since 1976, with reservoir levels falling at nearly three-quarters of monitored sites. All regions are now facing below-average water storage, prompting concerns over growing pressure on water resources and the natural environment.
Experts warn that these events are part of a broader climate trend. Tim Fox, a fellow at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and co-author of a climate change adaptation report, noted that these heatwaves are not anomalies. Still, harbingers of hotter summers to come in the UK.
“As UK summers become hotter, with longer periods of high temperature extremes, the impact will reach far beyond personal discomfort,” Fox explained, citing long-term climate impacts on infrastructure, public health, and water sustainability.
The UK drought conditions and extreme temperatures underscore the urgency of adapting to climate change in the UK, with more frequent and prolonged heatwaves now a growing concern for public safety and environmental resilience.
(With input from IANS)
