Another heatwave is bearing down on parts of the UK, with temperatures forecast to reach 34C by Thursday or Friday — but this time, a fresh hosepipe ban will already be in force. Southern Water has announced a ban starting at 12.01am on July 10 in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, after what the company described as “the warmest spring on record, followed by a record-breaking heatwave” left river levels critically low. The River Test, the company warned, has lost a third of its water within the last month, “putting pressure on our ability to treat and supply your water”.
The ban comes as South East Water’s temporary hosepipe restriction for Kent came into force on Friday. Meanwhile, yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) covering the East Midlands, east, south-east and south-west of England, including London, and the West Midlands, from midday on Saturday until 8pm on July 11. The agency said that within the warning area, minor impacts were likely across health and social care services because of the high temperatures, including increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and a greater risk to life to the same group. It also warned of a potential increase in water-related incidents, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.
“34C heatwave forecast for UK as Southern Water bans hosepipes in Hampshire and Isle of Wight”
The Met Office said temperatures in the south could reach 28C on Saturday, then 29C on Sunday, before approaching the low 30s next week and peaking at 34C in the South East on Thursday or Friday. Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: “We have got a heatwave on the way across parts of southern England and Wales, temperatures are already quite high across the South East today, we could get 28C in London. Elsewhere, it’s not as hot as we have got temperatures closer to average but they will climb as we go into next week.” She added that northern areas would be cloudier with spells of rain, creating a north/south split. “The peak of the heat appears to be Thursday or Friday, 34C in the South East. By comparison to the heatwave we saw in June, this heatwave won’t be as hot and humid, but it will be a prolonged spell of hot weather which lasts around a week.”
The latest heatwave follows a pattern seen across Europe and the east coast of the US, as climate breakdown accelerates. The last 11 years have been the warmest 11 years on record, with 2026 looking to continue that trend — yet worldwide, politicians are still divided on the transition to net zero. Southern Water said on its website that “the warmest spring on record, followed by a record-breaking heatwave, has left river levels 25% lower than expected for this time of year”. The company added: “To protect local rivers, including the River Test and Itchen that supply most of your water, and to k…”