Summer-time revelry is set to continue as temperatures hit 30C as Britain records its third heatwave of the year

Parts of Britain are set to sizzle in 30C heat again today as the UK continues to bask in its third heatwave of the year.

The scorching temperatures are a slight climb-down from the searing 33C recorded yesterday in Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, yesterday afternoon, but continue to mark what has been a red-hot summer thus far in the UK.

Scotland yesterday recorded its warmest day of the year with 32C reached in Aviemore in the Highlands, while areas like Belfast in Northern Ireland were as hot as they had been in almost three years.

And by this afternoon, temperatures in cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester look set to smash the 30C mark again as the relentless heat continues to scorch the UK.

Amber health alerts are in place for the Midlands and the south and east of England until 9am on Monday, which warn of a potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

The risk of wildfires in London is also currently rated at ‘severe’ by the Natural Hazards Partnership, while six million homes have been hit with a hosepipe ban as fire chiefs warn of the risk of drowning as people try to cool off in water.

On top of the amber alerts, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has yellow warnings in place until Monday for the north east, north west and Yorkshire and Humber.

And National Rail has also warned train passengers that the hot weather may continue to cause disruption today.

AVIEMORE: Crowds descended on Loch Morlich beach as the Scottish Highlands reached 32C on July 12, 2025

LONDON: Spectators fan themselves as they sit in the sun during the Ladies’ Singles Final match on July 12, 2025

Further north today, temperatures do begin to cool slightly with areas like Newcastle forecasted to hit a more manageable 22C.

In Glasgow, this looks set to rise to 26C but along the M8 motorway to Edinburgh it is expected that this will drop to around 22C.

Cardiff is also expected to be scorched again today with 30C forecast in the Welsh capital, while in Belfast temperatures could reach 26C. 

But today does appear to signal the last day of the UK’s third heatwave of the year, with Met Office forecasters predicting that temperatures will largely cool next week in areas outside London.

While the English capital will still be in the high 20s, cities like Liverpool and Newcastle are predicted to see heavy downpours early next week with maximum temperatures across the Midlands and north west being around 25C.

But with the warm weather still around today, Ross Macleod, Water Safety Manager from the RNLI, warned of the dangers of cooling off in cold water and offered advice if doing so.

He said: ‘Even in hot weather, the seas around our coasts are cold enough year-round to trigger cold water shock, while waves and rip currents can overpower even the most experienced water users. 

AVIEMORE: Ralphie the labrador having fun at Loch Morlich beach where sunseekers descended to bask in Scotland’s hottest day of the year on July 12, 2025

MANCHESTER: A woman uses a yellow and blue umbrella to cover herself from the scorching sun on July 12, 2025

LONDON: Sunbathers took to Vauxhall Park to make the most of the hot weather on July 12, 2025

FOLKESTONE: People enjoyed the hot weather on Sunny Sands beach on July 12, 2025

MANCHESTER: A man sunbathes on the grass at Piccadilly Gardens on July 12, 2025

SUSSEX: Sunseekers packed Brighton Beach as the third UK heatwave of the year scorched Britain on July 12, 2025

AVIEMORE: Crowds took to the water as Scotland was scorched on July 12, 2025

‘Most people who find themselves in difficulty in water will panic or thrash about but we’re urging people to ignore this instinct and remember to float: Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink – we all float differently. 

‘By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing. Once you’ve regained control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety.

‘Heading to the coast is a great way to have fun, relax and cool off in these high temperatures, but remembering this one piece of advice could save your life if you find yourself struggling in water.

‘We also encourage people to choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards.’

Next week’s cooler temperatures looks set to mark the end of the third heatwave, and scientists warning the latest searing temperatures have been made 100 times more likely because of human-made climate change.

They say heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, and experts have warned heatwaves are ‘silent killers’, with the impacts of heat severely underestimated.

They also say that the UK is unprepared for the rising risk of extremely hot conditions that climate change is bringing – especially earlier in the summer, when people are less acclimatised to coping with it.

LONDON: A father and son in the Compton Stand wearing umbrella hats to shade themselves during the International Test Match 2025 match between England and India at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 12, 2025

BERKSHIRE: Umbrellas were deployed at the Bastille Day Festival in The Forbury Gardens on July 12, 2025

SWANSEA: People took to the in the sea during the UK heatwave at Langland Bay on July 12, 2025

SCOTLAND: Lewis MacKay and Leia Paul from Muir of Ord take a cooling dip in Loch Ness on July 12, 2025

DORSET: Thousands of people flock to the beach in Bournemouth on July 12, 2025

SCOTLAND: Leanne McGovern jumping off the pier in Luss as the UK was scorched on July 12, 2025

SCOTLAND: Sunseekers flocked to Luss Beach on Loch Lomond on July 12, 2025

Dr Friederike Otto, associate professor at Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, previously said climate change was an ‘absolute game-changer’ for heat in Europe, making heat waves more frequent and more intense.

‘Heat waves are called the silent killer, for a reason, every year thousands of people in Europe die due to extreme heat, particularly those that live in poorly insulated homes, on busy, polluted roads, and that already have health problems,’ she said.

‘But extreme heat also leads to agricultural losses, infrastructure failure and puts a big strain on plants and animals.’

Conservationists and green experts have also previously warned of the wildfire risk of the heatwave as well as the impact on farmers, who face another poor harvest following one of the driest springs on record.

Meanwhile retailers warned that fruit and vegetable prices in Britain were increasing due to the hot and dry weather reducing harvest yields.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said this jump had contributed to shop prices having returned to inflation for the first time in almost a year.

FOLKESTONE: Beachgoers at Sunny Sands looked to get a sun tan on July 12, 2025

SCOTLAND: Beata and Igor Gazdzik paddleboarding at Loch Morlich beach, near Aviemore on July 12, 2025

BELFAST: Children use smartphones under an umbrella that shields them from the sun on July 12, 2025

SUSSEX: Friends from Crawley cool off in the sea at Brighton Beach on July 12, 2025

LONDON: People skate at the skate park in Crystal Palace Park on July 12, 2025

BERKSHIRE: Portable fans and water were deployed during the heatwave as racegoers arrived for the Racing to Zero Summer Mile Family Raceday at Ascot Racecourse on July 12, 2025

Overall shop prices were 0.4 per cent higher in June than a year earlier – a significant jump from the decline of 0.1 per cent seen in May, according to the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index.

Food inflation increased to 3.7 per cent from May’s 2.8 per cent in May, while fresh food was 3.2 per cent more expensive than a year ago.

Meat prices have also been hit by high wholesale prices and more expensive labour costs.

In terms of wildfires, Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation and restoration ecology at the National Trust, said: ‘With record-breaking temperatures across the country this week following the driest spring on record, our ranger and countryside teams are on high alert for fires which can cause decades of damage to habitats, decimate ecosystems and result in significant losses to our wildlife.

‘Unfortunately, the sad truth is that most of the fires in the UK that impact our landscapes are started by people, whether accidentally or not, rather than by natural causes.

‘Therefore, we’re calling on people to help us protect wildlife and habitats by acting responsibly when outdoors, as even a small spark can cause a fire, and to please call 999 if you see a fire or any suspicious behaviour.’