The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for extreme heat across large parts of southern England and the Midlands, effective from 9am on Wednesday, June 24, until 9pm on Thursday, June 25. The warning indicates a 'risk to life' and urges people to take action to stay safe.
A red heat health alert has also been issued for six regions of England by the UK Health Security Agency, warning of a risk to life even for the healthy population. Temperatures are forecast to reach at least 39°C, with a chance of exceeding 41°C, potentially breaking the UK all-time record of 40.3°C set in July 2022.
Meteorologist Aidan McGivern described this as one of the 'most exceptional weeks of weather' in his career, highlighting the significant humidity levels. Unlike the 2022 record, humidity this week is expected to be in the low 20s, making conditions more extreme and dangerous.
The Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: 'Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events... 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.' Consecutive nights with temperatures above 20°C, known as tropical nights, will exacerbate heat stress.
In addition, a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms has been issued for parts of the East of England, South West England, London and South East England, in effect from 5.21pm on June 22 until 9pm the same day. The public is advised to be aware of heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms.
