The Met Office has issued a rare red extreme heat warning for 98 UK areas, forecasting 'tropical nights' with overnight temperatures above 20°C from Tuesday until Thursday. The warning, in effect from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Thursday, covers parts of southern and central England and much of Wales, with an amber warning also in place from midnight Wednesday until 23:59pm for a wider region.
Record-Breaking Temperatures Expected
Daytime highs are predicted to reach 37°C in southern England on Tuesday, 35°C in southeast Wales, and climb to at least 39°C by Wednesday and Thursday. The current UK June record of 35.6°C, set in Southampton in 1976 and Camden Square in 1957, is expected to be broken. The Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway stated: 'Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events, and we’re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat.'
Health and Infrastructure Risks
The extreme heat poses risks of serious illness or danger to life, as well as potential power cuts and loss of essential services such as water, electricity, gas, or mobile phone networks. The high humidity accompanying the heat will exacerbate heat stress, making it difficult for people to recover overnight. 'The last time the UK recorded temperatures this high was in July 2022, but on this occasion the heat is expected to be accompanied by high humidity,' Sidaway added.
Tropical Nights Defined
Tropical nights occur when temperatures do not drop below 20°C. In London, overnight lows are forecast to reach 24°C on Tuesday and 25°C on Wednesday. This phenomenon is expected across parts of England and Wales, making it hard for residents to cool down after scorching daytime heat.
Advice for Staying Cool
The Met Office and NHS recommend staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, drinking plenty of fluids, and keeping curtains and blinds closed in sun-facing rooms. Windows should be opened at night when temperatures drop to allow cooler air in. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35°C.
Affected Areas
The 98 areas under red or amber warnings include:
- East Midlands: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, 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, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, Reading, Slough, Southampton, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham
- North West England: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Greater Manchester, Halton, Lancashire, Merseyside, Warrington
- South West England: Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Torbay, Wiltshire
- Wales: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham
- West Midlands: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire
- Yorkshire & Humber: East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
Residents are urged to take precautions and check on vulnerable neighbours as the heatwave intensifies.
