UK heatwave live: June record temperature broken four times as Met Office extends extreme heat weather warning

A rare red extreme heat warning has been extended as the Met Office records the hottest June day ever.

Temperatures reached 36.1C at Gosport in Hampshire, after records for the hottest June day were broken four times today.

It was expected to reach 40C in England and a red weather Met Office alert stretching from London across to Somerset and Swansea, and up towards Birmingham, is in place until midnight on Thursday. An amber warning for heat in south east England has also been extended into Saturday until 9pm.

People have been warned to stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm as the severe heat is expected to cause a danger to life.

Thousands of children are set to remain home as schools across the country, including 100 in Somerset, decide it is too hot for the classroom.

Network Rail has advised passengers to only travel if “absolutely necessary” amid the rare red weather warning for extreme heat.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for Thursday evening across the south west as forecasters predicted 60mph winds.

Hosepipe bans have been enforced in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire as South East Water manages increased demand due to the heatwave.

Key Points

Record for hottest June day broken four times
Red weather warning for extreme heat comes into force
Met Office issues another amber warning for heat on Friday
Train services across England affected due to 'adverse weather'
Full list of schools closing or shutting early as heatwave scorches
Met Office issues amber warning for Saturday

How to keep cool at home in the heatwave

21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

IndyBest's Deputy Editor, Sabrina Sahota has tried some of the top gadgets to help you to stay cool as temperatures soar. Here she reports on her findings:

Our expert appliances tester Joanne Lewsley has tested the best fans, which offer the cheapest and most convenient way to keep cool.

If a fan isn’t quite cutting it, she’s also reviewed the best portable air conditioners, which cost more to run but can make a genuine difference in stuffy heat.

Air coolersare another option growing in popularity – these aren’t as pricey as buying an AC unit but unlike a fan, can lower your room temperature by a few degrees.

You might be finding that lots of cooling devices are sold at the moment, so we're tracking the best fan and air conditioner deals for Amazon Prime Day, which has happened to fall during the heatwave.

We've also spotted that Lidl is about to launch a portable air conditioner, which could be your best chance at grabbing an affordable, in-stock AC unit.

North could see cloudier skies and cooler conditions this evening

20:30 , Rebecca Whittaker

While most of UK is baking in extreme heat, some northern parts of the country could see cloudier skies and cooler conditions, according to the Met Office.

Another hot, humid and sunny end to the day for many this evening, however cloudier skies and cooler conditions are affecting the extreme north and west of the country pic.twitter.com/14XMHkFdzu
— Met Office (@metoffice) June 24, 2026

Watch: Why women struggle more than men in a heatwave

20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker

Parents are stepping up where schools aren’t – the heatwave hysteria must end

19:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Telling children that school is optional because it is hot outside is no small thing, and it’s not the only system breakdown that is making parents boil over with rage. Families have got to stop being an afterthought in this country, writes Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts.

Image from: UK heatwave live: June record temperature broken four times as Met Office extends extreme heat weather warning

Parents are stepping up where schools aren’t – the heatwave hysteria must end

European holiday hotspots with extreme heat warnings this week

19:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

As British health authorities warn people to keep out of the sun due to extreme temperatures, similar groups across Europe are releasing guidance for holidaymakers.

France has recorded its highest ever temperature this week, while community spaces in the Netherlands are being opened to the public as “cool-down” spots.

In Spain, the national weather agency is warning that extreme caution should be exercised. Temperatures are expected to reach 35C in Italy and northern Portugal, where thunderstorms are also expected.

Here are the European holiday hotspots with heatwave warnings issued for this week.

European holiday hotspots with extreme heat warnings this week

A new record temperature has been recorded

18:41 , Rebecca Whittaker

The Met Office has recorded yet another record breaking temperature for June.

It hit 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, today. That’s slightly higher than 36C recorded at Wisley, Surrey.

Heat stress intensifying across globe as UK swelters during heatwave

18:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

A billion more people are now exposed to dangerous levels of heat stress than they were in the 1970s, scientists have found, with Africa experiencing the highest frequency of “strong heat stress” days globally thanks to extreme temperatures.

The findings, published in Nature Climate Change, come as the UK and Europe endure an intense heatwave riven by a surge of hot, dry air originating from North Africa.

Researchers warned that dangerous heat is no longer confined to traditionally hot regions and that rising overnight temperatures leave millions without relief, posing risks to human health.

"This isn’t something we’re still waiting to happen in the future," Rebecca Emerton, a senior climate scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the study’s lead author, told The Independent. "These are quite substantial changes that have already happened in recent decades."

You can read more below:

Heat stress intensifying as UK swelters during heatwave: ‘Danger is increasing’

Watch: Incredible lightning footage from London thunderstorm during June heatwave

18:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Record for hottest June day broken for third time

17:52 , Rebecca Whittaker

The record for the UK’s hottest June day has been broken for the third time on Wednesday, with provisional temperatures of 36C recorded at both Wisley, Surrey, and Gosport in Hampshire, the Met Office said.

12 cool European destinations to beat the heat in summer 2026

17:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Shade seekers can rejoice, holiday travel trends are changing and tan-refreshing, sunbed-stewing summer getaways are on the decline.

In light of the ongoing climate crisis, Brits – habitually inclined to boil abroad – are redirecting their wanderlust to European shores where they won’t be a prisoner to a hotel room’s air-conditioning or sweat over the midday UV index.

The shift to more moderate climates comes as no surprise. After the UK reached its hottest ever day in May, temperatures have now reached a new record in June, too.

With chasing scorching sun on the back burner, here are the destinations bringing a breeze to summer holidays, from wind-whipped islands to northern Europe’s fine coastline.

Where is cool in Europe during summer? Best holidays to avoid the heat

Police launch search for 15-year-old boy last seen swimming

17:06 , Rebecca Whittaker

Police marine units have joined emergency services in the search for a 15-year-old boy who was reported missing at 1.35pm on Wednesday after last being seen swimming at Testwood Lakes, near Totton, Southampton.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “A multi-agency operation is under way following a report that a 15-year-old boy is missing after he was last seen swimming at Testwood Lakes near Totton.

“This was reported to police at 1.35pm on Wednesday 24 June and the area is currently off limits while our search operation is ongoing. Please avoid the area at this time.

“We have deployed the marine units to aid in the search, alongside colleagues from NPAS, South Central Ambulance Service, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire Service.”

In pictures: Londoners swelter in hottest June day ever

17:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Women cool themselves with fans as they walk through central London (Getty)

A woman shelters from the sun under an umbrella as she takes photographs in Parliament Square (Getty)

A woman cools her head with an iced drink as she walks through central London (Getty)

Record June high temperature broken for second time on Wednesday

16:47 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Another record-breaking temperature for June was recorded on Wednesday, with a provisional high of 35.8C in Wiggonholt, West Sussex – surpassing the 35.7C recorded earlier in Charlwood, Surrey, the Met Office has said.

Why do trains get cancelled in a heatwave?

16:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Rail passengers are facing days of disruption as temperatures soar to almost 40C in the UK this week.

Several operators, including Great Western Railway, Avanti and LNER, have urged for services to be used for “essential travel only” on Wednesday and Thursday as a “heat-dome” settles over western Europe.

Train performance website trains.im shows 11 per cent of services across Britain were either cancelled or delayed by more than half an hour as of Wednesday morning.

With a rare red weather warning forecast for parts of England and Wales until at least Friday, here’s why extreme heat can cause serious problems for trains and rail infrastructure.

Why do trains get cancelled in a heatwave?

'London doesn't cope very well'

16:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The Independent’s Albert Toth reports:

A London commuter outside of the busy Farringdon station tells The Independent that her commute was “sweaty”.

“Northern line, grim,” she adds.“Lots of disruptions as well. London doesn’t cope very well.”

The office worker says that she switches to the Elizabeth line in central London. Completed in 2022, the latest tube route is the most air-conditioned and spacious.

The commute becomes “glorious” after the change, she says.

Another commuter adds that she has the choice between the Victoria and Overground, picking the slightly longer but air conditioned Overground.

Commuters tell Albert Toth their journey in was 'sweaty' (The Independent)

Britain’s electricity grid operator cancels power warning amid heatwave

16:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Britain’s electricity grid operator has cancelled an industry warning that the UK’s power supply could have been squeezed amid pressure from the heatwave.

Late on Tuesday, the National Energy System Operator (Neso) had issued a rare summer call-out for more power on Wednesday evening in the face of concerns over record-breaking temperatures.

Neso, the body which is tasked with making sure the supply of electricity matches demand for it, said it had issued a so-called electricity margin notice for between 7pm and 10pm on Wednesday.

This sends a message to the electricity market to ask for more capacity to be made available, allowing for production to increase if necessary.

The notices are more typically sent during winter when demand for heating is higher.

However, the grid operator cancelled the warning shortly after 2pm on Wednesday, indicating it is confident in power supply levels for the evening.

Sadiq Khan urges Londoners to 'bear with' public transport delays

16:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the capital and the country had not adapted to deal with climate change and urged the public to “bear with us” as they face public transport delays during the heatwave.

Speaking as he visited The Aldgate School in London to announce the results of an air quality report, he said: “What used to be a once in a generation occurrence, events of biblical proportions, now takes place every year, whether it’s heatwaves, whether it’s flash flooding, whether it’s lightning, whether it’s thunder – we as a city, we as a country, haven’t adapted to be resilient to the consequences of man-made climate change.

“People across the country can expect to see delays in public transport today, tomorrow and the rest of this week that’s a consequence of the extreme heat.

“People across the country I am afraid will have to bear with us – our public transport system is not made for temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius.

“Forty per cent of Tubes are now air conditioned with more going forward. I will be publishing very soon a plan of what more we need to do to deal with heat.”

He added the school’s headteacher had told him: “One of the reasons they have kept this school open is because actually for many of the kids who come to this school, this school is cooler than their home.”

Sadiq Khan visited Aldgate School in London (PA)

Temperatures hit 35.7C in hottest June day ever

15:55 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Temperatures have reached 35.7C in Charlwood, Surrey, surpassing the UK's previous June temperature record from 1976 of 35.6C, according to the BBC.

Commuters flock to offices seeking air conditioning

15:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Our reporter Albert Toth has been out and about speaking to commuters in a sweltering London this afternoon.

Gemma, 24, and Jenna, 23, work in PR in a central London office.

“We work just round the corner, and there’s air con in the office,” says Gemma. “That made us come into work,” Jenna adds.

Gemma says that she didn’t want to cycle in to the office and so took the Victoria line - “the hottest one”.

“It’s always hot down there but you feel it especially on days like today”, she says.

To make matters worse, an electrical fault meant she had issues tapping in.

“I worked from home yesterday, but the air con in the office is just too nice”, Gemma said.

The pair are planning to head into the office everyday this week, and visit a lido on the weekend.

Gemma and Jenna are coming into the office to dodge the London heat (The Independent)

Scientists warn climate change has led to more intense heatwaves

15:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Scientists have warned that climate change has led to more frequent and intense heatwaves, with Met Office projections indicating hot spells will become more frequent in the future, particularly over the south-east of the UK.

Professor Stephen Belcher, Met Office chief scientist, said: “The heatwave this week is a significant weather event, with a red extreme heat warning issued.

“Human-induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense.

“To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering.

“Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.”

In pictures: Life continues as heatwave hits Britain

14:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

People sunbathing in the hot weather in Battersea Park (PA)

Pupils play outside after water play at the Harris Academy Primary Mayflower school (Reuters)

Spectators cover under umbrellas at Eastbourne (Reuters)

Eurostar urges passengers to postpone journeys but says London-Paris line operating largely as usual

14:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Eurostar said it continued to operate the majority of its trains on both cross-Channel and continental routes – with a small number of cancellations – as extreme heat conditions affected rail infrastructure and some of its operations.

A spokesperson said: “At the request of Infrabel (Belgian infrastructure network operator), as from Thursday June 25, high speed trains operating between Brussels and the French border will run at reduced speeds by day resulting in extended journey times.

“This does not affect London-Paris trains.

“Eurostar advises its vulnerable passengers to postpone their journey where possible.

“Eurostar customers can change their journey for free if they wish to travel outside the heatwave.”

The company urged people to stay hydrated on their journey and said complimentary water was being distributed on board and in stations.

Campaigners call for next PM to 'stay the course' on climate policies

14:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

As the UK faces breaking temperature records for June that have stood for 50 years since the summer of 1976, and as MPs prepare to debate and vote on emissions targets for the period 2038-2042, campaigners have called for the next prime minister to “stay the course” on climate policies.

Greenpeace UK’s political campaigner Angharad Hopkinson said: “The summer of ’76 may be seared into the nation’s memory, but it’s quickly being overtaken by even more terrifying heatwaves.

“The only way off this hellish treadmill is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

“Our next prime minister needs to act on the evidence outside their window and the advice of their scientific advisors and stay the course on climate policies.

“The alternative is parched reservoirs, unaffordable food, shuttered hospitals and schools and wildly fluctuating bills each time a new oil war is kindled.

“Every MP voting on carbon targets today, or lobbying for a watering down of net-zero policies, would do well to remember that.”

London’s Tower Bridge among major UK attractions closed during extreme heatwave

13:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Top tourist attractions across the UK are closing their doors until Friday as Brits brace for record-breaking temperatures up to 40C.

Parts of the East Midlands, the East of England, London and south east England, south west England, Wales, and the West Midlands are under a rare red weather warning until 9pm on Thursday.

You can read all about the UK attractions that have been forced to close below:

London’s Tower Bridge among major UK attractions closed during extreme heatwave

Play at Wimbledon qualifying suspended as tennis stars battle extreme heat

13:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Play at Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton was suspended amid extreme heat as London battles a red weather warning.

Players were taken off court shortly after midday on Wednesday, with the temperature in south west London reaching a brutal 33C.

Wimbledon has a heat rule in place for this year’s tournament and players are allowed to request a 10-minute break when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1C.

Britain’s Dan Evans, who is playing in his last tournament before retirement at Wimbledon, was one of the players forced to stop. The 36-year-old had just lost the first set 7-5 to Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate.

You can read more below:

Play at Wimbledon qualifying suspended as tennis stars battle extreme heat

Storms and 60mph winds expected as Met Office issues weather warning

12:45 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms in the south west on Thursday evening as it said winds could reach up to 60mph.

The warning, covering Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset, says storms could bring disruption to some places, with a chance driving conditions could be affected, a small chance buildings and temporary structures could be damaged by strong winds and a small chance of flooding in a few spots.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms were expected to move towards southeast England during Thursday evening and night, and while many areas will miss them, the storms could produce sudden gusty winds of up to 50 to 60 miles per hour (mph), the Met Office said.

Rail bosses say 'significant disruption' will continue into Friday

12:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Significant disruption to train services from extreme heat will continue into Friday, an operator said.

Chiltern Railways said it is extending the period when it is cancelling more than half its services, initially planned for Tuesday to Thursday.

Michael Stewart, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said: “This week’s extreme weather is going to continue into Friday so as a result we strongly advise you to avoid travelling until the weekend.

“Trains are running at greatly reduced levels as there is a significant risk to infrastructure.

“Running a reduced service means there is more resilience in the network and more chance for the rail network to recover.

“Trains which do run may experience significant delays and see very busy conditions.”

Watch: Mum’s open water ‘death trap’ warning following string of heatwave deaths

12:10 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

RAC say calls up 20 per cent amid heatwave

11:50 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The RAC said it responded to 20 per cent more callouts to broken-down vehicles than usual on Tuesday.

Spokesman Simon Williams said: “Tuesday was a very busy day for breakdowns with our patrols finishing the day 20 per cent busier than normal for late June.

“Wednesday is looking even more challenging as more cars are succumbing to the extreme heat.

“We strongly urge people to avoid driving unless it’s essential, as breaking down in these conditions is potentially life threatening if they aren’t properly prepared.

“Being stuck at the side of a hot road without enough water and some form of shade is very serious.

“For this reason our patrols are also carrying extra bottles of water to give to broken-down members.”

Met Office issues amber warning for Saturday

11:43 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat covering parts of east and south-east England on Saturday.

Temperatures will be a few degrees cooler than the previous days, but are still expected to exceed 30C widely in the area, which stretches from the Sussex coast to Lincolnshire, peaking around 32C to 34C in London or East Anglia, the weather service said.

Night temperatures are unlikely to fall below the high teens Celsius for most, with some places probably still in the low 20C, while high humidity will continue, the Met Office said.

An amber heat warning has been issued for Saturday (Met Office)

Poll: Should schools close as temperatures hit 38C in the June heatwave?

11:35 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

With temperatures forecast to reach 38C and classrooms expected to become uncomfortably hot, we're asking readers whether schools should be allowed to close during extreme heatwaves or remain open with extra safeguards in place.

Poll: Should schools close as temperatures hit 38C in the June heatwave?

Met Office extends red warning to south coast of England

11:17 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The Met Office has extended the rare red warning for extreme heat in place for Wednesday and Thursday down to the south coast of England, including Brighton, Bognor Regis, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Dorchester.

The weather service also said the red warning for the exceptional spell of hot and humid weather would now be in place until the end of Thursday.

Met Office issues another amber warning for heat on Friday

11:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The Met Office has issued another amber warning for heat for Friday, covering eastern and central England, as the exceptionally hot weather looks set to linger late into the week.

The forecaster also said it may need to issue further updates on the extreme weather as more details on the conditions become clear.

Grahame Madge, Met Office spokesman, said: “We have issued another amber warning for eastern and central England for Friday.

“As the forecast continues to evolve we may need to issue further updates once more detail becomes clear.”

How does the 2026 heatwave compare to 1976’s record-breaking summer?

10:50 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

The UK is entering extremely hot temperatures this week, as the Met Office warns parts of England and Wales could reach 39 to 40C.

Comparisons are being drawn to the summer of 1976 - a season which is still regarded as the benchmark for British heatwaves.

Forecasters say this week’s weather may exceed the June 1976 record of 35.6C by several degrees, with the UK also edging close to its all-time high of 40.3C recorded in 2022.

Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of the Climate Change Committee, has warned that due to global warming, the June 2026 heatwave is an example of what we will see “ much more regularly across the next few decades.”

She told The Independent: “In 2050, we're saying that temperatures of 40C will become, if not a typical summer, certainly a frequent occurrence...

“ This will not be unusual, remarkable, once-in-a-decade stuff. This will happen fairly regularly, if not every year.”

How the 2026 heatwave compares to 1976’s record-breaking summer

In pictures: Commuters battle the heat in rush hour London

10:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

Commuters battle the heat at Waterloo Station in London (Reuters)

Rail companies are urging passengers to stay hydrated (Reuters)

Some trains have been cancelled due to the heat (Reuters)

Britons 'must not underestimate' heat, expert says

10:57 , Nicole Wootton-Cane

An expert geographer has warned people not to “underestimate” the heat as the UK experiences a severe red warning.

Dr Jess Neumann, from the University of Reading, said: "The UK Met Office has issued a rare extreme heat red warning, which means there is a danger to life.

"This heat is going beyond your regular "summer holiday, beach days and ice creams" and must not be underestimated.

"The impacts of heatwaves on people are wide-ranging – some are direct and potentially very severe such as heat exhaustion, heatstroke or death. However, the effects of heat are not always so obvious or immediate - dehydration, lethargy, headaches, or trapped air pollutants can affect us all.

“People with respiratory, cardiovascular or other underlying health conditions, babies, children, people working outside and other vulnerable groups are particularly at risk. None of us are immune to extreme heat and we must look after ourselves to stay safe and well.

Lib Dems call for public buildings to become 'cool hubs'

10:13 , Holly Evans

The Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to immediately open air-conditioned public buildings as “cool hubs” for vulnerable people during the heatwave.

They said gyms, leisure centres, libraries and other buildings could offer relief for those particularly at risk from the extreme heat.

The party also urged ministers to urgently prepare the country for more extreme temperatures by investing in cooling for hospitals, care homes and schools – echoing a call by the independent advisory Climate Change Committee on helping the UK adapt to global warming.

Liberal Democrat climate spokeswoman Pippa Heylings MP said: “Cool hubs could be a lifeline for the most vulnerable people in our communities who are struggling in the sweltering heat.

“Public spaces exist to serve their communities and it’s right they should offer refuge during heatwaves.”

She said: “Our hospitals, care homes and schools are dangerously hot, these buildings must be fit for a climate that is getting hotter every year.

“It is completely unfair to expect young people to cope with extreme heat as well as increased stress during crucial GCSE and A-level exam periods.”

She also said the Government “must get on” with upgrading homes to keep families safe and cool.