Hosepipe ban starts for millions in 33C heatwave – see where and what it means

A hosepipe ban is coming into force in parts of the country today as the third heatwave of the summer grips the country, with temperatures set to hit 33C.

The ban follows months of extremely hot and dry weather across England, with more high temperatures forecast over the weekend. Temperatures could reach 33C in parts of central and southern England on Friday and are expected to remain high into the weekend, with a yellow heat health alert in place for all regions in England until July 15. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, warns of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over, or with health conditions.

And now a hosepipe ban has been brought in by Yorkshire Water which will affect more than 5.7million homes in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and North Lincolnshire.

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It comes as 80 firefighters were called to tackle a grass fire on Rainham Road in Rainham, Kent, on Thursday. London Fire Brigade said about 10 hectares of grass and shrubland were destroyed in the blaze, the cause of which is being investigated.

Possible highs again of 33C on Saturday mean the third heatwave will fall short of the top temperatures of 34.7C recorded earlier in July, but this heatwave will be more widespread, Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said.

Today, Yorkshire Water brings in restrictions on using hosepipes for activities such as watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools, which it said is part of its efforts to protect supplies in the face of yet more dry weather forecast for the coming weeks.

Customers who ignore the ban could face fines of up to £1,000, but the firm previously said “we hope it won’t come to that” as it urged households to help conserve water by sticking to the restrictions.

“For the next three days or so, high pressure is in charge across the UK, bringing in relatively settled conditions,” Mr Snell said. “For most of the UK, it will be dry, sunny and warm. The temperatures will probably peak either Friday or Saturday, with highs potentially of 32C or 33C.

“As we go into Sunday, the eastern half of the UK might start to just cool down a tad. It’s still going to be very warm, but could jump down a degree or two.

“In the second half of the weekend some coastal areas, like the North Sea coast, may turn a little bit murky at times, but the weekend is generally hot and sunny for most parts of the country.

“That will obviously come with very high UV levels for most of us and also very high grass pollen levels, so not great news for hayfever sufferers.” The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged people to drink water regularly, seek shade and use sunscreen.

Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: “Heat is no longer just a holiday perk, it’s a growing public health risk. “We’re seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities.”

Temperatures will fall slightly by Monday, with highs of 28C expected in London and “fresher” conditions in the north of England, with highs between 20C and 24C. Rain could come in “showers and thunderstorms”, Mr Snell said, most likely in northern England.