Temperatures have climbed above 37C in some parts of England, as 2026 set new records for days of extreme heat.

The Met Office said by early afternoon temperatures had reached 37.6C at Charlwood in Surrey, while at Wisley temperatures had hit 37.2C, and Kew Gardens in London had recorded a temperature of 37C.

A further 10 weather stations were at or above 36C, the provisional figures from the Met Office showed.

It makes 2026 the first year on record to see three separate days where temperatures reached the 37C threshold, as well as the first year with four days at 36C or above.

Before 2026, the UK had recorded 37C or higher on only six occasions.

It also extends 2026’s record-breaking run of days above 35C.

Temperatures could reach 38C in some parts of England, in the fifth heatwave during what is on track to be a record hot summer, beating the previous record set only last year.

It could become the hottest day of the year so far if temperatures exceed the 38C recorded at Lingwood in Norfolk on June 28, amid a deadly heatwave which prompted a rare red warning for extreme heat.

Amber warnings for “extreme heat” are in place for a swathe of England from London to Sheffield, parts of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, into Gloucestershire and Wiltshire in the South West and Shropshire and Herefordshire in the west.

The Met Office warned the highest temperatures on Thursday are expected in parts of the Midlands and western England.

Meanwhile a yellow warning has been issued for thunderstorms in Northern Ireland, which is in place until 6am on Friday.

Amber heat health alerts are also in place for most of England until Friday, with officials urging people to take simple precautions such as staying out of the sun at the hottest part of the day, checking in on vulnerable friends and family and staying hydrated.

The UK is facing increasingly extreme conditions such as heatwaves, drought and wildfires fuelled by climate change, which is mostly driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels for power plants, vehicles, heating and industry.

Baroness Brown, who chairs the independent advisory Climate Change Committee’s adaptation work, warned it “gets worse from here” until greenhouse gas emissions are cut to zero overall, known as net zero.

Climate advisers are also urging the Government to take steps to prepare the UK for worsening extremes, from making it easier for farmers to build reservoirs to putting air conditioning in hospitals and providing grants for vulnerable families to do the same.

With record dry conditions in July and a dry start to August, nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.

England and Wales have already seen as many wildfires this year as during the whole of 2025.

Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the same as last year’s record-breaking total.

Crews from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have continued battling a blaze which hit protected heathland in the New Forest after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.

In a statement on Thursday morning, the service said: “Once again firefighters have been working through the night at the scene of the New Forest wildfire.”

Along with colleagues from other fire services, crews have been using techniques including mulching, tree felling and “backburning”, controlled burning to create firebreaks, the statement said.

“Our teams continue to make good progress, but we still expect to be on the scene for the next few days, with the A31 remaining closed,” the service said.