Temperatures across south-east England were forecast to reach 30 degrees Celsius on Wednesday as another intense spell of hot weather took hold, with Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey all officially declared to be in drought as of Monday.
An amber heat health alert covering the whole of England warned of temperatures potentially climbing to 37C (98.6F) on Thursday, with the alert originally due to run until Friday evening. Hastings Borough Council said it had temporarily switched off the Breeds Place and Millstone fountains because of the volume of water they consume during extreme heat.
The drought declaration follows a pattern of worsening conditions across England this summer. According to our earlier coverage, drought had already been declared in seven areas of England as officials reviewed further expansions amid a fifth heatwave and mounting pressure on water supplies. Weeks earlier, parts of the UK missed weekend rain ahead of a separate heatwave, with Wales already in drought status and temperatures forecast to hit 35C in the South East at that time.
How hot did it get, and could this become an official heatwave?
Temperatures subsequently rose above the 30C forecast, with 30.8C recorded at Wisley in Surrey and 32.2C at Kew in west London, marking the warmest day of the year up to that point, according to a national broadcaster's report. The Met Office said these readings could be sufficient to trigger the first official heatwave of the year, provided local thresholds are met for three consecutive days.
Those thresholds vary by county: in Kent and Sussex a heatwave is declared once temperatures reach 28C, while in Surrey the bar is 29C, the same report noted. Forecasters also pointed to further heat over the weekend, with highs of 31C expected in Guildford and 30C in both Kent and Crawley.
What is happening with water supplies?
Southern Water's director of water operations, Tanya Flasck, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that the utility was under strain but had so far avoided the worst outcomes for customers.
"We do have quite a challenge at the moment. Demand has gone up significantly but we are hanging in here and making sure customer taps don't run dry for the most part."
Asked about allegations of leakage across Southern Water's network, she acknowledged public concern but pointed to recent investment in detection work.
"I can absolutely understand people's concern. In the last few years we have made a step change in leakage and we are continuing to invest so that we can try and detect those leaks."
"We have reduced leaks since about 2023 by well over 20%. We have to make sure we are doing a lot of detection activities and we have hundreds of people out all the time to do that."
Separately, South East Water apologised to 39 properties in the village of Ulcombe in Kent, where supplies remained disrupted. This is not the first such disruption this summer: Kent experienced widespread water supply problems as far back as late May, when South East Water urged residents to limit use to essential purposes only amid soaring temperatures and infrastructure strain.
How are wildfires affecting the region?
A red fire alert was also issued for parts of East and West Sussex and Surrey as dry conditions raised the risk of blazes spreading quickly. The National Fire Chiefs Council said crews across England and Wales had responded to 966 wildfires so far this year, including 185 in the first ten days of August alone, while July was the busiest month on record for wildfires with 458 incidents recorded.
Crews from Surrey and West Sussex assisted Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service in tackling a fire in the New Forest, which began after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.
What happens next?
The amber heat health alert, which covers the South East, East of England, London, the South West, East Midlands, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, took effect from 12:00 BST on Thursday and was later confirmed to remain in place until 09:00 BST on the following Monday, according to weather service updates. Forecasters expect temperatures to climb further over the weekend, which is likely to be the decisive period for determining whether the three-day threshold needed for an official heatwave declaration is met.
Elsewhere, a separate report from a national broadcaster had earlier noted that the South East had already entered what could become the year's fifth heatwave, with Frittenden in Kent reaching 30.6C and meteorologists warning temperatures could climb as high as 36C later in the week.
Key Facts
- Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey were officially declared in drought as of Monday.
- An amber heat health alert covering most of England was in place, with temperatures potentially reaching 37C on Thursday.
- 30.8C was recorded at Wisley, Surrey, and 32.2C at Kew, London — the warmest day of the year so far at that point.
- Firefighters responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 458 in July alone.
- South East Water apologised to 39 properties in Ulcombe, Kent, over ongoing supply disruption.
