UK weather LIVE: School closures as Met Office warns 50 areas facing 40C heat - full list

The UK weather bureau has revealed Tuesday's high temperatures across the UK, with the June heatwave well and truly starting to set in for the week.

A COBR meeting was held on Tuesday morning in response to the heatwave engulfing the UK, the Government said.

A red weather warning for extreme heat covering an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham was issued by the Met Office and will come into effect from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday.

“We are working across Government and with devolved and local partners to respond to the severe heatwave,” a Government spokesperson said.

“As part of this response, the Cabinet Office held an official level COBR meeting on Tuesday morning, and will continue to closely monitor the situation.

“As well as being uncomfortable, the red weather alerts indicate that the heat poses a risk to life.

“We encourage people to pay close attention to guidance issued by the UK Health Security Agency, other public health bodies, and organisations such as transport operators.”

Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge said: “The Met Office is flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely for somewhere in London or the South East.

“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range.

“It is important to remember that the temperature value is only one element of this extreme heatwave story.

“The other major factor is the high humidity which for many will make the intense heat even harder to endure.”

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a high air pollution alert for Wednesday following advice from forecasters at Imperial College, marking the third such warning in the capital this year.

He called on residents to switch off vehicle engines when stationary and refrain from burning garden waste, both of which can worsen pollution levels. Information about the alert has also been distributed to GP practices and hospital emergency departments to help them support patients who may be particularly vulnerable to poor air quality.

Deputy mayor for environment and energy, Mete Coban said: “Toxic air is responsible for thousands of premature deaths in London each year, which is why the mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it, which includes launching the world’s largest clean air zone.

“We are urging Londoners to look after themselves during this period of extremely hot weather and elevated pollution levels, stop their engines idling, and refrain from burning garden waste – all of which contribute to high levels of pollution.

“It is really important we all do our bit to protect those who are most vulnerable as we continue working to build a safer and greener London for all.”

The Met Office is warning that tomorrow will be an "exceptionally hot day".

"Some low cloud possible to start, but this soon clearing to bring wall-to-wall blue skies for many", said the weather agency.

Mediterranean-style “fire weather” will push the guardians of some of England’s largest forests to their limits if blazes break out, a senior adviser has warned.

Rob Gazzard, who advises the Forestry Commission on wildfires, said “extreme scenarios are going to be very challenging” to deal with for the organisation.

Mr Gazzard faced questions on Tuesday about wildfires from the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

He said around 97%-99% of wildfires were “roughly under a hectare”, contained by firefighters, a lack of fuel and weather conditions.

But some fires are larger, such as the Fylingdales Moor and Langdale blaze last year.

At its peak, the conflagration affected 25 square kilometres – almost 10 square miles – of moorland and forestry in North Yorkshire.

“If we had multiple ones of those, it becomes a capacity issue,” Mr Gazzard said.

Harry Styles fans have been spotted arriving at Wembley Stadium this evening.

The One Direction star's fans have been warned to stay hydrated and wear loose and breathable clothing amid scorching temperatures in the UK

Thameslink has issued the following warning:

Until the end of day on Thursday June 25, Great Western Railway services will run with the following amendments:

Didcot Parkway - London Paddington services (in both directions) will not call at Slough, Maidenhead or Twyford, or may be revised to run between Didcot Parkway and Reading only.

Newbury - London Paddington services (in both directions) may be revised to run between Newbury and Reading only.

As a reminder, tomorrow it set to be even hotter.

A rare red extreme heat warning is in place from 9am tomorrow to 9pm Thursday for parts of England and Wales.

The Met Office is warning that it will be "hot and humid with exceptionally high temperatures".

The maximum temperatures for today have been revealed by BBC Weather.

England: 34.6C at Wisley

Wales: 32.2C at Cardiff Bute Park

Scotland: 29.0C at Dyce

Northern Ireland: 28.1C at Katesbridge

Wales has provisionally recorded a new highest minimum temperature for June of 20.3C at St Athan, South Glamorgan.

Last night, parts of England & Wales didn’t drop below 20C.

Tonight looks set to be another uncomfortable night!

France has recorded its highest temperature since records began, according to the country's national weather service.

Météo-France said temperatures climbed to 44.3C in Pissos, in the south-west of the country, while several other locations also experienced record-breaking heat, including Bordeaux, where the mercury reached 42.1C.

The Met Office is expecting the highest recorded June temperature of 35.6C, set in 1976, to be broken this week.

In a post on social media, it said it also expected the highest minimum temperature for June of 22.7C, which was also set in 1976, to be broken as well.

The forecaster said: “The UK’s June maximum temperature record is expected to be broken this week, and the highest minimum temperature record may be broken as well.

“The high temperatures only tell part of the story however, as high humidity will add to how uncomfortable it is both by day and night.”

John Lewis said sales of pizza ovens had soared by 557% week on week, while searches on JohnLewis.com for “Silk scarf” were up 200% on last week.

A John Lewis Partnership spokeswoman said: “Our customers are shopping to beat the heat hands-free with sales of neck fans up nearly 230%, while chino shorts are also having their moment in the sun as commuters tackle summer office wear.

“Al fresco dining is having a serious upgrade with sales of premium BBQs up 164%, led by products including Bertha’s Outdoor Charcoal Oven, and with schools closing due to the heat, paddling pool sales are also making a splash, increasing nearly fivefold compared to last week.

“Rose remains a firm customer favourite, with overall sales up 20%, and canned rose up 25%.

“Sales of coffee concentrates are up 26% as shoppers seek out the perfect DIY iced latte, while searches for ‘gazpacho recipes’ on Waitrose.com are up by 200%, tapping into the ‘European summer’ trend.”

Currys said it had seen an almost 1,500% increase in customers searching for fans on its website compared with last weekend, and a 3,500% increase in searches for air conditioning products over the same period.

A Currys spokesman said: “We’ve seen huge demand for fans and air conditioning units ahead of this week’s heatwave, with sales of fans up nearly 3,000% compared with last week, while air conditioning sales were up by 330%.

“The good news is that we have great availability of brands including Dyson, Shark and many more.”

The UK's largest train operator has uged passengers to only travel if it necessary.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) includes Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern.

Fewer trains will run on Wednesday and Thursday due to safety-related speed restrictions, with GTR warning that some services may also be cancelled at short notice.

Gatwick Express services will be suspended from early afternoon on both days, although passengers will still be able to travel to the airport using Thameslink and Southern trains.

Customers who no longer plan to travel can claim refunds for tickets purchased for today and the coming days.

The Eiffel Tower is closing early to the public today due to the rising temperatures.

A message on its website reads: "We apologize for the inconvenience."

The Paris landmark will close at 16:00 local time, although its operator has given no further information on whether it will reopen as usual on Wednesday.

The Met Office weather map show temperature levels will soar to 35C in the next two hours.

Atleast 312 schools in England and Wales have been partially closed this week due to the ongoing heatwave conditions, reports BBC.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge, said: “The Met Office is flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely for somewhere in London or the South East.

“Forecast temperature values are indicative and are subject to a slight range either side.

“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range.

“It is important to remember that the temperature value is only one element of this extreme heatwave story.

“The other major factor is the high humidity which for many will make the intense heat even harder to endure.”

The United Nations chief warned that London is “cooking” as he argued that the would cannot double down on fossil fuels in the face of devastating climate change.

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres was speaking at London Climate Action Week.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday, Mr Guterres said: “Crisis brings clarity and here in London – the city of Dickens – it is clear that our world is facing a ‘tale of two crises’.

“A climate crisis is pushing us deeper towards higher temperatures and closer to catastrophic tipping points and an energy crisis exposing the folly of a world hooked on hydrocarbons.

“On the surface, these crises may seem separate, but they share the same destructive origin: fossil fuels.”

“London isn’t just calling. It’s cooking,” the UN chief said.

France experienced its warmest night on record since observations began in 1947, according to the country’s official forecaster.

Météo-France reported a provisional average nighttime temperature of 21.6C (70.9F), based on data from 30 monitoring stations between Monday and Tuesday.

The Met Office said 29,074 lightning strikes have been recorded in the UK in the last 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday.

All of these strikes were over England, with the majority - 18,540 - over Somerset.

The Met Office's lightning map also shows there have been hundreds more strikes across south-east England on Tuesday morning.

The highest overnight temperature was 20.4C in Gosport, Hampshire, while eight other place recorded a tropical night where temperatures do not fall below 20C.

These were Crosby, in Merseyside, Plymouth and North Wyke, in Devon, Aberporth, Cardiff and St Athan in Wales, Hurn in Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

The ongoing heatwave has already caused disruptions across Wales, affecting both infrastructure and public services. One major impact is the complete closure of one of the oldest crossings between Wales and England.

Chepstow’s Old Wye Bridge, which had already been shut to vehicles since October due to structural concerns, will also be closed to pedestrians and cyclists from 11:00 BST.

This precaution is necessary because the structure is particularly sensitive to temperatures exceeding 30C (86F).

Avanti West Coast said it plans to run fewer services than usual between Tuesday and Thursday, and “there’s a risk of further disruption”.

The company eased ticket restrictions, enabling passengers to use an earlier service than the one they booked at no extra cost. Those with tickets booked for departures between Tuesday and Thursday are eligible for a full refund if they no longer want to travel.

Chiltern Railways has axed more than half its services over those three days “to ensure the safe operation of the railway”. This affects London Marylebone services to and from Birmingham, Oxford and Aylesbury via Amersham.

Great Western Railway issued a plea for its services to be used for “essential travel only” on Wednesday and Thursday, which is when the Met Office has a severe red warning in place. The operator said prolonged high temperatures can affect equipment on its older regional train fleet, including engines and cooling systems.

It is also running fewer trains than normal between London Paddington and Reading until Friday. This is because Network Rail is not moving some points – pieces of metal that enable trains to change tracks – on the route to cut the risk of failures, which are more likely in high temperatures.

LNER said passengers travelling on Tuesday can board an earlier service, adding “we strongly advise that you do not travel across the LNER route” on Wednesday or Thursday.

South Western Railway issued an alert stating it will run fewer services than normal between Tuesday and Thursday. Its services in Hampton, south-west London were also affected by flooding after heavy rain overnight.

Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer, said: "Customers should be aware that, given the very high temperatures that are forecast, we are likely to see some disruption to rail and Tube services - with rail temperatures likely to lead to temporary speed restrictions and therefore reduced services in some cases.

"This will vary by line, with some services that share parts of the overground rail network - like the Overground and the Elizabeth line - likely to be more affected."

Mann added: "We expect bus services to run as normal although, during periods of hot weather, we are encouraging customers to carry water with them when they travel on any of our services."

The warning colours explained:

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA said: “We are urging health and social care services across the country to ensure they are prepared. It is vitally important that people understand the risk posed by high temperatures like these, and take steps to keep themselves and their friends, families and neighbours safe.

“A red heat health alert indicates a risk to life for even the healthy population, but simple actions like staying hydrated, avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day, and keeping your home cool can make a big difference. It’s also important to look out for others, especially elderly relatives, neighbours, and those with underlying health conditions, to make sure they are aware of the forecast and following the necessary advice.”

-Population-wide adverse health effects experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to serious illness or danger to life

-Substantial changes in working practices and daily routines will be required

-High risk of failure of heat-sensitive systems and equipment, with the loss of power and other essential services, such as water, electricity, gas or mobile phone services

-Significantly more people visiting coastal areas, lakes and rivers, leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents

-Delays on roads and road closures, along with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, with significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays

Sydenham School, London

Cranbourne School, Basingstoke

Eggar’s School, Alton

Grateley Primary School, Grateley

Swanmore College, Swanmore

Creswood Community School, Eastleigh

Harrow Way Community School, Andover

The Bulmershe School, Reading

Cheam High School, Surrey

The Hurst School, Tadley

Reading School, Reading

King’s Academy Prospect, Reading

St. Crispins, Wokingham

The Willows Primary School, Newbury

Churchend Primary School, Reading

Ditton Park Academy, Slough

Silverwood School, Wiltshire

Wren Academy, Enfield

Kingdown School, Warminster

Clarendon Academy, Trowbridge

Pewsey Vale School, Pewsey

Dilton Marsh Primary, Westbury

Kingsholm Primary, Gloucester

St Michael’s School, Larkhill

Isebrook School, Kettering

Woodland Middle School Academy, Flitwick (only for year 7 and 8)

The Dorcan Academy, Swindon

St John’s Marlborough School, Marlborough

Malmesbury School, Wiltshire

Finlay Community School, Gloucester

Archway School, Stroud

New Close School, Warminster

St Michael's Academy, Somerset

Piggot C of E School, Wargrave

Radstock Primary School, Earley

Maiden Erlegh School, Reading

Willow Bank Infant School, Woodley

South Lake Primary School, Woodley

River Academy, Reading

Katesgrove Primary School, Reading

Beechwood Primary School, Woodley

Gerrards Cross CofE School

Hughenden Primary School

Princes Risborough Primary School

Ley Hill School

Farnham Common Infant School

Chalfonts Community College

Denham Village School

Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School

Dropmore Infant School

Kingsbrook View Academy

Iver Heath Junior School

Misbourne School

The Iver Heath Infant School and Nursery

Farnham Common Junior School

Overstone Combined School

Marsworth Church of England Infant School

Brookmead School Bourton

Meadow Academy

The Steeple Claydon School

Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit

Bierton Church of England Combined School

Turnfurlong Infant School

Great Kingshill Church of England Combined School

Great Kimble Church of England School

Aylesbury Vale Academy

Weston Turville Church of England School

Disraeli School and Children's Centre

Iver Village Junior School

St Mary's Farnham Royal CofE Primary School

Green Ridge Primary Academy

Orchard View Primary Academy

Ivingswood Academy

Chepping View Primary Academy

Kite Ridge School

Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy

Waddesdon Village Primary School

Wooburn Green Primary School

Quainton Church of England School

Oakridge School

Denham Green E-Act Primary Academy

Waterside Primary Academy

Waddesdon Church of England School

According to the Met Office, the temperature levels are likely to soar to 37C on Tuesday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway, said: “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.

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.

“As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night. This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.”

The following areas could see 40C temperatures this week.

East Midlands

East of England

London & South East England

South West England

Wales

West Midlands