An amber weather warning for extreme heat has been extended by 12 hours, as the rest of Europe endures sweltering, record-breaking conditions.
Several other countries have been placed under extreme heat warnings, including Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Romania, and Slovakia, where temperatures “well above” 40C have been forecast.
The deadly temperatures are estimated to have killed hundreds of people. Some 327 fatalities in Spain are thought to be linked to the extreme heat, while at least 55 people have died in France.
European countries are seeing temperatures reaching between 5 to 12C above seasonal averages, and a heat record has been broken or is forecast to be broken in 45 per cent of European cities, according to scientists from the World Weather Attribution.
East Midlands, the East of England, and London and South East England will remain under the warning until 9am on Sunday, with the Met Office forecasting hot and humid weather to continue overnight.
Thunderstorms have caused significant flight cancellations and delays. At least 367 flights arriving at or departing from Heathrow have been delayed so far on Saturday, according to tracker FlightAware, and 352 in and out of Gatwick.
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Key Points
- Series of severe weather warnings issued across Europe
- Death toll in the hundreds as heatwave grips Europe
- Hundreds of UK flights grounded amid thunderstorm forecasts
- Extreme heat amber warning extended until Sunday
- Risk of further thunderstorms as Met Office forecasts heavy rain and wind
Germany highways buckling in extreme heat
16:30 , Harriette BoucherHighways in Germany are buckling under the extreme heat, while train journeys have had to be slashed.
At least 11 motorways have been affected by heat damage, German newspaper Die Welt reported, citing German Automobile Club (ADAC).
Germans have been advised not to travel unless essential by several railway operators.
Deutsche Bahn said: “The transport infrastructure in Germany is severely affected by the record heat this weekend. Rail traffic is also suffering from the extreme temperatures.”
On Friday, a new record of 41.3 C was reached near the city of Saarbruecken close to the French border, a spokesperson for Germany's National Meteorological Service said, noting the reading was still preliminary.
Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de, said: “The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40 degrees in some parts of Germany.”
Temperature records shattered across Europe
15:58 , Harriette BoucherEuropeans have endured sweltering conditions on Saturday as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths spread eastwards.
Several records have been smashed across the continent over the week, with a heat record broken or forecast to be broken in 45 per cent of European cities.
France recorded its hottest day ever this week, with several areas seeing temperatures well above 40C.
On Friday, a new German record of 41.3 C was hit near the city of Saarbruecken on the French border
Denmark logged its highest-ever temperature today following a high of 37C.
Friday was Italy’s warmest June night on record after overnight temperatures did not dip below 25.4 C in Bolzano in the Italian Alps.
Slovakia also declared Friday night as its warmest on record, while Switzerland had its hottest June day ever.
Britain broke its hottest June day record three days in a row, with yesterday’s high of 37.3C exceeding all other June temperatures.
UK's sea surface temperatures following heatwave
15:48 , Harriette Boucher
In pictures: Italy, France, Germany, and the UK endure a record-breaking heatwave
15:30 , Harriette Boucher
This is why Europe was so fatally unprepared for the June heatwave
15:00 , Harriette BoucherEurope’s hottest ever June has laid bare the failures of successive governments across the continent to prepare for extreme heat. Now, scientists say, we have reached the point where climate change is having a severe impact on daily life. Alex Croft reports:
This is why Europe was so fatally unprepared for the June heatwave
Death toll in the hundreds as heatwave grips Europe
14:43 , Harriette BoucherHundreds of people have died in Europe as a result of the record-breaking heatwave gripping the continent.
There are thought to have been 327 temperature-related deaths in Spain between Sunday and Thursday.
In France, at least 55 people have drowned, while four toddlers have died in cars.
Italy has recorded at least four heat-related deaths, according to local media.
We reported earlier that the body of a 22 year old man was recovered from the River Severn in Shrewsbury on Saturday morning.
On Wednesday, a 50-year-old man was pronounced dead at Aberavon beach after getting into difficulty while swimming in the sea off the south coast of Wales.
During the May heatwave in the UK, at least 15 people, the majority of whom were children, drowned while swimming in open water.
The rising death toll follows an estimated 24,400 heat-related deaths across Europe last year.
Hosepipe ban map: Is my area under restrictions during UK heatwave?
14:30 , Harriette Boucher
Hosepipe ban map: Is my area under restrictions during record UK heatwave?
Dangerous weather hampers firefighters and leads to fireworks bans in western US
14:28 , Harriette BoucherHot, dry and windy conditions are fuelling a fast-moving wildfire in Utah, forcing the governor to declare an emergency and restrict fireworks as critical weather across the West gives way to mounting concerns that anything could cause a spark.
Firefighters are facing more challenges on the ground from what fire managers and experts call unprecedented conditions.
Air tankers and helicopters were grounded Friday as winds picked up on the Cottonwood Fire, the largest blaze currently burning in the U.S. Gusts were clocked at 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) and humidity levels were in the single digits, leaving crews with few options for slowing the flames, especially as they raced through the treetops.
“We are not expecting the weather to be kind to us for the next couple of days,” said Alyssa Mason, a spokesperson assigned to the fire.
"We are seeing extreme fire behaviour out there with some crown runs and definitely some spotting.”
Denmark declares hottest day ever as temperatures hit 37C
14:13 , Harriette BoucherSeries of severe weather warnings issued across Europe
13:52 , Harriette BoucherA red weather warning for heat has been issued in Romania where temperatures could soar to 40C this weekend.
Slovakia has also come under a warning as it braces for record-breaking temperatures.
A severe red weather alert is in place in France, where a deadly heatwave has killed more than 55 people.
Germany has also issued nationwide heat warnings, along with Poland and Switzerland.
Heatwave: Thunderstorms expected as extreme heat weather warning extended
13:45 , Harriette BoucherBookings surge for air-conditioned hotels as families try to escape UK heatwave
13:27 , Harriette BoucherHotels with air-conditioning and pools have seen a surge in bookings amid the heatwave as families try to escape the record-breaking temperatures scorching the UK.
Searches using the “air-conditioning” filter on Booking.com have tripled across the country since the beginning of June, coinciding with the latest heatwave in northern Europe.
Data on authorised transactions through payment company Adyen revealed that the UK hotel industry experienced a 34 per cent increase in revenue between 22 and 25 June compared to the same period last year, The Guardian reported
The Gainsborough Bath Spa in Somerset, where record-breaking temperatures have been felt, told The Independent: “During the heatwave, we had several guests who came to us because they needed some escape from the heat.
The hotel, which has a pool and air-conditioning, added: “We are very much a tourist destination, there are an awful lot of Airbnbs in the area with the listed building status. A lot of our American friends who've been travelling over found that once they arrived, their Airbnb didn't actually have any air conditioning, so we picked up quite a few rooms along those lines.”
Bookings surge for air-conditioned hotels as families try to escape UK heatwave
Can you ACTUALLY cook an EGG on the pavement?
13:00 , Harriette BoucherHundreds of UK flights grounded amid thunderstorm forecasts
12:54 , Albert TothOver 600 flights from London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports have been delayed by up to six hours as the UK is forecast to experience severe stormy weather.
It comes as the Europe-wide heatwave continues into the weekend. The UK’s record high temperature for June was broken for three consecutive days from Wednesday to Friday.
Tracker FlightAware says that at least 367 arrivals and departures have been delayed on Saturday, alongside 352 at Gatwick.
UK air traffic control service NATS said that “weather disruption was expected to continue through the rest of the day” due to “forecasted severe weather across the south east of England”.
The most severe delays are affecting flights travelling between south east England and north west Europe, where storm clouds have amassed.
Other flights are largely unaffected at present.
British Airways said in a statement: "Like other airlines, we've had to make some adjustments to our schedule today due to air traffic control restrictions caused by adverse weather conditions affecting parts of UK airspace."
Europe’s deadly heatwave is on the move
12:30 , Harriette Boucher
Europe’s deadly heatwave is on the move
UK heatwave: 40C in June must be wake-up call on climate crisis, scientists warn
12:00 , Harriette BoucherOur climate correspondent Nick Ferris writes:
Scientists are warning that politicians are failing to appreciate the magnitude of the climate crisis after the Met Office forecast that temperatures in the UK could hit 40C for just the second time since records began.
Rare red warnings have been issued over extreme temperatures that are this week set to hit record highs for June – smashing the record set in 1976 by several degrees.
The hot conditions will have major knock-on effects for health, schools, workers and transport, with experts warning that the predicted temperatures are “incredibly alarming” and should be seen as a public health threat.
“Our first 40C day was supposed to be a wake-up call, but clearly someone hit snooze,” said Professor Friederike Otto of Imperial College London, referring to the last time the UK hit 40C in 2022.
40C in June must be wake-up call on climate crisis, scientists warn
What areas are under the current amber warning?
11:44 , Harriette BoucherAn amber warning for extreme heat has been extended until tomorrow in the south east.
The Met Office said: “Very hot and humid weather will continue to affect eastern and southeastern England but likely a few degrees cooler than the previous few days.”
Regions and local authorities affected:
East Midlands
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Rutland
East of England
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Peterborough
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
London & South East England
- Bracknell Forest
- Brighton and Hove
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Reading
- Slough
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
Temperatures to hit 33C ahead of a muggy night
11:41 , Harriette BoucherTemperatures will rise to 33C in parts of England today, where the Met Office has extended its weather warning for extreme heat.
The weather agency said temperatures will still widely exceed 30C and peak around 32 - 33C in London and East Anglia.
Overnight and Sunday, temperatures are unlikely to fall below the high teens for most, with a few places not dropping below 20C.
“This will again be accompanied by high humidity at first, but fresher conditions will steadily become established from the west during the latter part of the night,” the Met Office said.
“Another hot day is expected in the far east of the region on Sunday, but both temperatures and humidity lower than recent days with a much lower likelihood of further impacts.”
Met Office extends warning for extreme heat in England
11:36 , Harriette BoucherAmber heat health alert in force
11:30 , Harriette BoucherAll of England is under an amber heat health alert until Sunday morning.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said impacts were likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures.
It warned of a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, as well as possible impacts on younger age groups.
Extreme heat amber warning extended until Sunday
11:29 , Harriette BoucherThe amber warning for extreme has been extended by 12 hours, with the Met Office forecasting hot and humid weather to continue overnight.
East Midlands, the East of England, and London and South East England, will remain under the warning until 9am tomorrow.
The Met Office said the warning was extended to “cater for final hot and humid night of the departing heatwave.”
Germany scorched in 40C heat as scientists issue stark climate change warning
11:00 , Harriette BoucherGermany is enduring sweltering conditions as it braces for temperatures to rise well above 40C over the weekend.
On Friday, a new record of 41.3 C was reached near the city of Saarbruecken close to the French border, a spokesperson for Germany's National Meteorological Service said, noting the reading was still preliminary.
Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de, said: “The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40 degrees in some parts of Germany.”
Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany have all experienced record heat in June, and the weather system could test more records as it rolls across Germany towards Poland.
Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without man-made climate change, which has made this week's night-time temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been even two decades ago.
Nearly half of all European cities smashing heat records, warns scientists
10:36 , Harriette BoucherEuropean countries are seeing temperatures reaching between 5 to 12C above seasonal averages, new analysis has shown.
During this heatwave, a heat record has been broken or was forecast to be broken in around 45 per cent of the 854 European cities examined.
Scientists from the World Weather Attribution said in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and southern England, these increases were being driven by a persistent high-pressure system.
“In addition to the direct impact on mortality, extreme heat affects ecosystems, infrastructure services and daily life. The high temperatures are pushing cooling demand to its highest level in at least 45 years while significantly increasing wildfire risk, particularly in Spain and France,” the report noted.
“France has been among the hardest-hit countries, already reporting at least 40 fatalities, widespread school closures, cancelled outdoor events, and major rail disruptions as extreme heat leads to thermal expansion of tracks and disruption to overhead power lines.”
The hottest ever June shows Britain is broken and living in denial
10:30 , Harriette BoucherSchools closing, hospitals declaring critical incidents and chaos on the roads and railways – as our creaking infrastructure melts under the pressure of extreme heat, government advisor, Lucy Easthope, explains why the wreckage of this week tells her we’ve left it too late to cope with what is coming next:
The hottest June on record shows Britain is broken and in denial about what’s coming
Bookings surge for air-conditioned hotels during heatwave
10:30 , Harriette BoucherBookings for hotels with air-conditioning have surged in the UK as parents look to escape the heatwave, data has shown.
Data from Booking.com revealed that searches using the “air-conditioning” filter has tripled across Great Britain since 1 June, coinciding with the latest heatwave in northern Europe, The Guardian reported.
Payment company Adyen said the UK hotel industry experienced a 34 per cent increase in revenue between 22 and 25 June this year compared with the same period in 2025, according to the newspaper.
Man, 22, dead after getting into difficulty in water
10:01 , Harriette BoucherThe body of a 22 year old man was recovered from the River Severn in Shrewsbury on Saturday morning.
Brody Leach had last been seen on Friday after it was reported he had got into difficulty in the water.
West Mercia Police said: “Brody has been formally identified by his family and his next of kin have been made aware. Our thoughts are with them, and we ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.
“The area around the riverside where searches were taking place, has now reopened. Reassurance patrols will continue in the area today.”
On Wednesday, a 50-year-old man was pronounced dead at Aberavon beach after getting into difficulty while swimming in the sea off the south coast of Wales.
During the May heatwave, at least 15 people, the majority of whom were children, drowned while swimming in open water.
It prompted widespread warnings about the dangers of swimming in open water, which is often much colder than expected and can cause cold water shock syndrome that can prove prove fatal.
Britons will struggle to put food on table as heatwaves become the norm, scientists warn
10:00 , Harriette BoucherClimate scientists have warned that Britons will struggle to put food on the table within a matter of years, as heatwaves escalate and harvests continue to fail.
University of Oxford professor Paul Behrens has urged the government to act on the food security “crisis” he says the UK is facing, saying extreme weather events will continue to send food prices skyrocketing.
His message comes amid a heatwave that has smashed several records in the UK and prompted experts to issue stark warnings about increasingly frequent extreme heat events.
“Farmers are contending with an endless sequence of really extreme rain, heat, drought, and storm events, and this is all affecting the way in which we're growing food,” Mr Behrens told The Independent.
“We've seen yields first stagnate and then drop in the country. We're seeing farmers struggling with feeding animals during floods, because if the animals can't go to pasture, then they have to buy and feed during the winter.”
Read more here:
Britons will struggle to put food on table as heatwaves ramp up, scientists warn
This is why Europe was so fatally unprepared for the June heatwave
09:45 , Harriette BoucherForeign affairs reporter Alex Croft reports:
A deadly, record-breaking heatwave has suffocated western Europe this week, killing hundreds and forcing millions to ditch their daily routines.
Now, with an inquisition into the continent’s stark lack of preparedness set to begin as the weather front shifts eastwards, top scientists say we have passed a threshold where the threat of climate change is no longer an abstract future - but a “concrete, present, disruptive feature of daily life”.
The impact has been devastating. At least 55 deaths linked to the heatwave have been reported in France alone, where temperatures surpassed 40C in Paris.
Several children have died after becoming trapped in cars, dozens have drowned as they try to cool off, and hospitals across the continent have become inundated with heat-related issues, with French medics describing “apocalyptic” scenes.
Transport and tourist infrastructure has been heavily impacted, while thousands of schools have been closed across the continent.
This is why Europe was so fatally unprepared for the June heatwave
Live weather map: How high will temperatures climb on Saturday?
09:30 , Harriette BoucherRisk of further thunderstorms as Met Office forecasts heavy rain and wind
09:15 , Harriette BoucherParts of the UK will be hit with heavy rain and gusts on Saturday as temperatures drop for most of the country.
The cooler weather will first develop in the west and the fresher conditions will spread further east over the course of the weekend.
Areas of low pressure are expected to bring showers to Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday
Outbreaks of rain could also return to the southeast this evening, which is currently under an amber warning for extreme heat.
The Met Office said: “Western parts of Scotland and much of Northern Ireland will see rain for a time on Saturday, with showers likely spreading further south in places on Sunday, though these will be fairly light in nature.
“Those to the southeast could remain dry through the weekend, although there is a risk of thunderstorms here before temperatures return more towards average later on Sunday and into Monday.”
London’s hottest Tube lines revealed as capital bakes in heatwave
09:00 , Harriette BoucherTemperatures on the London Underground rail network reached almost 40C on Wednesday as the day was officially declared the hottest in June on record.
Readings taken by The Independent on London Underground carriages showed highs of 39.4C, recorded on the Central line – one of the capital’s busiest lines.
Much lower temperatures were recorded on Tube lines with air-conditioned trains, with the Metropolitan line and Elizabeth line sitting at around 22C. But only around 40 per cent of trains are currently air-conditioned.
London’s hottest Tube lines revealed as capital bakes in record-breaking heatwave
Watch: Met Office UK weather forecast
08:30 , Harriette BoucherWhat areas are under an amber warning today?
08:00 , Harriette BoucherHot and humid weather will continue over parts of east and southeast England, as an amber warning for extreme heat remains in place until 9pm.
The Met Office said: “Very hot weather will continue to affect eastern and southeastern England but likely a few degrees cooler than the previous few days. Temperatures will still widely exceed 30C, peaking around 32 - 34C in London or East Anglia.
“Night temperatures remain unlikely to fall below high teens Celsius for most with some places probably remaining in the low 20s Celsius. These temperatures will be accompanied by high humidity.”
Regions and local authorities affected:
East Midlands
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Rutland
East of England
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Peterborough
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
London & South East England
- Bracknell Forest
- Brighton and Hove
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Reading
- Slough
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
Mapped: How hot will it get today?
07:25 , Harriette BoucherFollowing a record-breaking day yesterday, temperatures are due to fall for most of the country.
A drop in temperatures will develop in the west at first, with fresher conditions spreading slowly further east over the course of the weekend.
Parts of the country will still experience some of the scorching heat today, with a high of 32C forecast in the capital.
Elsewhere in the southeast, temperatures are expected to climb to the high twenties.
Temperatures will reach the mid-twenties in Northern parts of England and Wales, while parts of Scotland will see highs of around 21C.
Met Office five-day forecast
07:12 , Harriette BoucherToday
Showers, possibly thundery, in the east and southeast, especially at first. Rain slowly edging into Northern Ireland and western Scotland later. Sunny spells elsewhere. Still hot in the southeast, but temperatures lower than of late.
Tonight
A mostly warm and dry evening with sunny spells. Clouding over from the west with a little showery rain here later. Dry elsewhere, remaining warm and muggy in the east.
Sunday
Cloudy for many in the morning with a few showery outbreaks of rain. Turning drier through the day with increasing amounts of sunshine. Feeling fresher than of late.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday
Feeling fresher for all. Largely dry with sunny spells, but a few showers possible, particularly on Tuesday and in the northwest. Light winds and feeling pleasant in the sunny spells.
In pictures: Swimmers enjoying the water at Charlton Lido in south east London
07:00 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Record-breaking june temperatures draw crowds to beaches and pools
06:00 , Bryony GoochUK heatwave mapped: Where is going to be hottest this weekend as temperatures could hit 31C
05:00 , Bryony Gooch
UK heatwave mapped: Where is going to be hottest as temperatures could hit 31C
Recap: Hottest June day record broken again as heatwave peaks at 37.3C
04:00 , Bryony GoochThe UK’s highest June temperature was surpassed for the third day in a row as the record-breaking heatwave peaked at 37.3C.
Friday was confirmed by the Met Office as the UK’s hottest June day on record, with a provisional temperature of 37.3C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk, surpassing the high of 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday.
These smashed the long-standing record for June heat, which dates back to the summer of 1976, by more than 1C, which is significant given such records were usually broken only by a fraction of a degree in the past.
Watch: Can you ACTUALLY cook an EGG on the pavement?
03:00 , Bryony GoochHosepipe ban map: Is my area under restrictions during record UK heatwave?
02:00 , Bryony Gooch Hosepipe ban map: Is my area under restrictions during record UK heatwave?
Watch: Met Office warns of thunder in weekend weather forecast
01:00 , Bryony GoochMapped: What weather warnings are in place on Saturday?
Saturday 27 June 2026 00:00 , Bryony Gooch
Why leaving a dog in a hot car for one minute is too long – and what to do if you spot one
Friday 26 June 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
What to do if you see a distressed dog in a car during a heatwave
Storm warning ends in Northern Ireland
Friday 26 June 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochYellow weather warnings for thunderstorms have come to an end in Northern Ireland, according to the Met Office.
The warnings were in place from 10am til 10pm on Friday as the forecaster warned that “scattered thunderstorms may cause disruption in places today.”
The forecaster warned that power cuts, flooding and travel delays could all occur due to the stormy weather.
Rare red weather warning ends across parts of England
Friday 26 June 2026 21:40 , Bryony GoochThe rare red weather warning has come to an end across London, the east and south east of England.
The rare Met Office warning stated: “The exceptional spell of hot and humid weather will continue across this region, with impacts to the general population highly likely.”
Temperatures soared to record highs of 37.3C in Santon Downham, Suffolk, surpassing the high of 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday.
Thunderstorm warnings come to an end in the north of England
Friday 26 June 2026 21:31 , Bryony GoochYellow weather warnings for thunderstorms have come to an end in the north east and west of England, as well as Yorkshire and Humber, according to the Met Office.
The forecaster put the warning in place from 2pm til 9pm on Friday with concerns of flooding and lighting in parts of the country.
The weather warnings remain in place across Northern Ireland and Scotland.
England provisionally set highest minimum temperature record for June
Friday 26 June 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochEngland has provisionally set a highest minimum temperature record for June on Thursday night, with 23.0C in Plymouth.
In pictures: Brits enjoy the heatwave in Hampstead
Friday 26 June 2026 20:30 , Bryony Gooch
Emergency callouts surge as NHS feels the heat from extreme temperatures
Friday 26 June 2026 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainHealth chiefs are warning of the impact the heatwave is having on services as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls with record-breaking temperatures continuing to scorch the country.
Several hospitals have declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments.
Emergency callouts surge as NHS feels the heat from extreme temperatures
'Elderly care wards way over 30C'
Friday 26 June 2026 19:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, told Today the intense heat exposes how poor the infrastructure of the health service is.
“When you go round hospitals, very, very few hospitals are new,” she said. “We’ve kind of bolted things in car parks, we’ve added an extra wing on here, we’ve changed a corridor into a ward, and those places just aren’t coping with the demands of extreme heat.
“The patients are far too hot. We’re hearing reports of elderly care wards way over 30C.”
Dr Williams also said some critical machinery, such as MRI scanners and linear accelerators that treat cancer, have gone down due to the heat.
‘Don’t let the celebration become a medical emergency’: England fans warned ahead of World Cup game in heatwave
Friday 26 June 2026 19:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainHealth chiefs have issued stark warnings to England fans as the country is set to swelter through extreme heat ahead of the World Cup game on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will take on Panama in New Jersey as they hope to secure their place in the round of 36 in style.
But with the fixture not kicking-off until 10pm, doctors have warned fans could risk dehydration, fainting, and even heatstroke after drinking all day in the scorching sunshine.
England fans warned by health chiefs ahead of World Cup game in heatwave
Sentencing for firearms conspiracy adjourned because dock 'too hot'
Friday 26 June 2026 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe sentencing of six people for a firearms conspiracy could not go ahead on Friday because the dock was too hot.
The defendants, who included one of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky’s killers Faizal Razzaq, were due to learn their fates at newly refurbished Harrow Crown Court.
But the hearing had to be postponed because the temperature could not be brought down enough for them to sit in the dock.
Security staff said they could not put a fan in the dock, and the hearing could not start until the temperature dropped below 26C.
The building, which reopened this year, after a £26 million safety overhaul, has air conditioning but this was not sufficient to cool the dock.
Judge Hannah Kinch said: “The temperature will need to be monitored and if it goes above 26C the defendants will have to be taken down again.
“I don’t see how we can have a hearing while we are stopping and starting.
“I also think it would be deeply unfair to have defendants who are facing serious sentences kept in difficult conditions in the dock.”
At midday the judge confirmed the hearing could not go ahead as the dock had not cooled down. It was adjourned until October.
Heatwave to ease over the weekend
Friday 26 June 2026 18:45 , Bryony GoochLooking ahead to the weekend forecast, the heatwave is set to ease.
Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: “The UK is seeing a gradual shift in conditions over the weekend, with those to the southeast of England retaining the warmth the longest, where an amber extreme heat warning remains in force through much of Saturday, though peaks are more likely to be in the low thirties Celsius.”
Western parts of Scotland and much of Northern Ireland will see rain for a time on Saturday, with showers likely spreading further south in places on Sunday, though these will be fairly light in nature.
Those to the south east could remain dry through the weekend, although there is a risk of thunderstorms here before temperatures return more towards average later on Sunday and into Monday.
This week's heatwave would have been impossible 50 years ago, scientists warn
Friday 26 June 2026 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainScientists warned on Friday that this current heatwave would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, with human-driven climate change fuelling more intense and frequent extreme heat events.
Health chiefs warned of the impact the conditions are having on services this week as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls.
Rare red warnings remain in place on Friday with forecasters expecting temperatures to reach as high as 36C in London and 35C in Manchester on Friday, with Belfast and Cardiff looking at potential highs of 26C.
