Overview
- The Met Office issued a rare red extreme‑heat warning running from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Thursday for a swathe of England and Wales with forecasts singling out headline highs around 39–40°C.
- Health agencies have raised red heat‑health alerts for regions including London, the South East and the Midlands and urged people to stay cool and hydrated because high daytime heat and tropical nights increase risk of heat illness.
- Hundreds to more than a thousand schools announced full or partial closures or early finishes as operators and parents respond to unsafe classroom and travel conditions.
- Rail operators have cut services, Network Rail imposed speed restrictions and Eurostar cancelled trains to reduce heat‑related failures while the National Energy System Operator issued notices as demand and stress on power and water systems rise.
- Scientists linked the extreme heat to a persistent heat‑dome and to human‑driven climate change, prompting calls for short‑term protections such as cooling hubs and longer‑term investment in cooling and resilient infrastructure.