Millions face hosepipe bans as UK heatwave reaches 34.7C

BBC ^ | 07/11/2025 | Hollie Cole BBC News Simon King Lead Weather Presenter

[BenLurkin]

More than seven million people had hosepipe bans imposed on them as temperatures soared in the UK's third heatwave of 2025.

Astwood Bank in the West Midlands recorded the highest temperature of 34.7C by 18:00 BST on Friday, while Wales saw its hottest day of the year with 32.7C recorded in Usk.

Amber heat health alerts for southern England, the Midlands, and East Anglia were issued on Friday and will remain in place until Monday, the UK Health Security Agency said.

Less severe yellow warnings remain in place for northern England, while Scotland and Northern Ireland face warnings of wildfires on Saturday and Sunday.

Yellow weather alerts are issued during periods that are only likely to affect those who are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly, and those with existing health conditions. Amber alerts are issued in situations that could put the whole population at risk.

Yorkshire Water's hosepipe ban came into effect on Friday, affecting customers across much of Yorkshire, parts of north Lincolnshire, and areas of Derbyshire.

South East Water, which has also introduced a hosepipe ban, said demand for drinking water had "reached record levels" since May due to the extended spell of warm and dry weather in the region.

It added that it was continuing to monitor the situation in its Western region, where it serves customers in parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

A hosepipe ban could include restrictions on certain activities like watering gardens, washing cars, or filling up paddling pools, and people who break the ban could face a fine.

The weather alert service warns the public in England when high or low temperatures could damage their health or lead to disruption to critical public services.

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TOPICS: Weather
KEYWORDS: england; gardenhoses; heatwave; hosepipes; waterhoses; watering; wateringrestrictions

[Disambiguator]

It’s in the 90s in the UK. Is that unusual? We’ve been dealing with 100+ here in SW Idaho, but we do have AC.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

So much of UK/Europe still without AC’s. Senior citizens suffer most.

[Leaning Right]

They can have my hosepipe when they pry it from my cold, dead hands!

P.S. The Brits sure do speak funny. What’s a hosepipe?

🤔

[lee martell]

At first glance, headline appears to mention a
“Hospice Ban”. Needless to say, that’s incorrect.

‘Hose-Pipe’ ban is the new term of the hour.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

It’s a distinct type of humidity — and the streets in England are very narrow. Everything is densely packed — at least in a city like London. The buildings, many of which are quite old, are not designed for hot weather, but instead amplify it.

[Steve_Seattle]

What’s a hosepipe?

[Allegra]

We call it a garden hose. 😏

[PAR35]

Roughly 94.5 or equal to the cool summer we’ve been having in the Metroplex. We’ve certainly been suffering from global cooling here this year.

[digger48]

So they get beaten with a rubber hose if they don’t comply?

[PAR35]

The buildings, many of which are quite old, are not designed for hot weather,

The old buildings were designed for hot weather - built before fans, much less air conditioning, and with windows that open.

Of course, the rich would decamp to their summer residences, but the poor always had to sweat.

[mass55th]

"What’s a hosepipe?"

Brits always come up with crazy names for things. Bathroom = Loo; Car Trunk = Boot. Cookies = Biscuits. Food gift basket = Hamper. And the rest of the time they mispronounce normal words like aluminum, garage, privacy, vitamin.

[gitmo]

I Duck-Duck-Went “hosepipe”. It’s a garden hose.

[verum ago]

It’s in the 90s in the UK. Is that unusual? We’ve been dealing with 100+ here in SW Idaho, but we do have AC.

Yes, it is. The mean daily maximum in London in July (its hottest month) for instance, is only about 75° F. I myself used to live in SW Idaho, but have also lived in very humid but still hot places like New Orleans, and yes, the humidity matters greatly. If it's too humid, you can sweat all you want, and it doesn't cool you off at all. Not much AC in the UK either, and the concentration of people in urban areas doesn't help- they run hotter than the surrounding rural areas.

All the above said, I can't help but feel that the people of the UK have fallen quite a ways from "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun"...

[Fiji Hill]

And the rest of the time they mispronounce normal words like aluminum, garage, privacy, vitamin.

Also tomato, potato and banana.

[Williams]

I’m pretty sure in Winchester 73 starring Jimmy Stewart, when he goes to prison they tell the prisoners, “If you get out of line, we hosepipe you”. The guards were holding lengths of big black rubber hoses.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

UK is more wet and cold as a rule though…not snowy, blizzard…but yeah.

[Fiji Hill]

If you have been to Washington, DC in the summertime, that’s probably what it’s like.

[technically right]

Don’t forget you open the “bonnet” to check your engine.

[Kleon]

Ironically, we’re the ones preserving the English language.