The heat keeps easing then snapping back, but what really shakes you is how dry swathes of the UK are starting to look.

17:15, Wed, Aug 5, 2026 Updated: 17:18, Wed, Aug 5, 2026

A young dairy herd walk across a field of dry grass in Ashford, Kent

A young dairy herd walk across a field of dry grass in Ashford, Kent (Image: Getty Images)

This image may resemble cattle on a sun-baked Texas trail but alarmingly, it shows a dairy cow herd in bone-dry Kent...and not a green blade of grass in sight. Meanwhile, another shocking picture of drought-hit Britain shows the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club at Wimbledon as we have never seen it before - with Henman's Hill akin to a scorched, brown wasteland.

They highlight the serious drought facing swathes of the UK, with July the driest month ever recorded in southern England, and still no sign of significant rainfall on the way. Already, the spring and summer of 2026 have seen two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that led to more than 2,800 excess deaths, and two more heatwaves in July as the mercury hit 34C.

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On Tuesday, the UK registered its 34th day of temperatures reaching 30C (86F) or higher in a calendar year, equalling the record set in 1995.

Eight areas across southern, central, and eastern England and Wales declared in drought, while over 23 million households have faced hosepipe bans brought in by nine water firms.

A respite from the heat is expected over the next few days but forecasters still fear there are no signs of any much needed heavy rainfall - except in Scotland.

But next week it is feared we could be seeing a sixth heatwave of 2026.

BBC lead weather presenter Matt Taylor explained: "Temperatures are set to drop across the UK over the next few days, ending the latest heatwave that has affected some areas of southern and eastern England.

"Humidity levels will fall too, which should cool down homes and make nights more comfortable for sleeping.

"The change in conditions follows another historic day in a summer that has seen many long standing heat records toppled or tied.

"On Tuesday, the UK registered its 34th day of temperatures reaching 30C (86F) or higher in a calendar year, equalling the record set in 1995.

"Forecasts suggest that this record is likely to be beaten as early as next week, with some showing the potential for a sixth heatwave to develop."

Henman Hill and Number One court at Wimbledon

Henman Hill and Number One court at Wimbledon (Image: Chris Gorman / Big Ladder)

What Wimbledon usually looks like with lush green grass

What Wimbledon usually looks like with lush green grass (Image: Chris Gorman / Big Ladder)

Following another heat spike this week, temperatures are forecast to cool down to peaks of just 22C on Thursday this week in London and 17C in Glasgow.

By the weekend, temperatures are expected to creep back up to the high 20Cs.

However, forecasters predict towards mid-August, high pressure may become more dominant towards the north or northwest of the UK, with lower pressure at times further to the south or east.

That means there could be a greater chance of thundery showers in southern and eastern areas, and it will certainly be wetter in comparison to recent weeks.