The UK is bracing for its ‘hottest day ever’ with nearly 500 schools set to close early, army ceremonies cancelled and people warned not to travel as a heat dome spreading across Europe reaches the country.
A red weather warning has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures due to come close to Britain’s all-time record of 40.3C, set in July 2022.
Some schools have cancelled trips and are setting work for students to do at home, after the Met Office warned the heatwave is expected to bring ‘severe and significant impacts’, including widespread health risks for many.
Meanwhile the Army has cancelled ceremonial operations in London and Windsor to protect the ‘wellbeing’ of its soldiers, and lidos are already fully booked for the week ahead as Brits rush to take the edge off the blistering heat.
It is already the hottest day of the year in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the mercury hitting 28.8C in Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire, and 26.4C in Katesbridge, County Down. In Wisley, Surrey, temperatures reached 33.7C on Tuesday afternoon.
It comes after a violent band of storms swept across southern England overnight, forcing at least one airport to close, rail services to be thrown into chaos, and around 3,000 lightning strikes to hit London in just two hours.
Two homes were set on fire in the capital, reportedly as a result of lightning strikes, with the London Fire Brigade receiving more than 400 calls since midnight.
People sunbathe and swim at London Fields Lido in London on Tuesday afternoon
People sunbathe and swim at London Fields Lido outdoor swimming pool — June 23, 2026
There was also turmoil on the Tube this morning with Transport for London cancelling all Elizabeth line trains between Heathrow Terminal 4 and Terminals 2 and 3 due to the flooding overnight. Service has since resumed.
The entire Mildmay overground line is currently running a reduced service due to ‘hot weather mitigation’, and National Rail has urged people to ‘please only travel if absolutely necessary’.
Scores of schools across England and Wales announced they would close or finish early on several days this week to protect pupils amid the extreme heat.
The Daily Mail is aware of one infant school offering ‘special extreme heat lunch choices’ tomorrow to protect the well-being of its kitchen staff.
It will see the menu scaled back to just pasta and jacket potatoes.
June’s longstanding UK temperature record of 35.6C, set in Hampshire in 1976, is forecast to be challenged as temperatures climb towards 40C across parts of England and Wales on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Met Office said temperatures could beat the UK’s all-time high of 40.3C which was measured in July 2022, and are expected to beat the June record.
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.
‘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.’
Some 100 schools will be at least partly closed in Somerset over the next three days, with a similar number in Buckinghamshire and more than 80 in Gloucestershire, according to council data.
In Hampshire, 35 schools will at least partially close because of the severe heat.
Many have explicitly cited red weather warnings and extreme heat for the reasons behind closures, with some explaining classrooms lack air conditioning and that travel to and from school could be risky in the high temperatures.
As a result, children have been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which typically involves long trousers and blazers. Some after-school clubs have also been cancelled.
Many schools in Horsham, West Sussex, are closing early on Wednesday and Thursday, with some setting pupils work to do at home.
They include Tanbridge House School, a secondary school with about 1,500 pupils, and the Forest School secondary school.
Some children who cannot stay at home will continue to be cared for on site.
Elsewhere, the Buckingham School in Buckinghamshire said it will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and asked students to take part in online learning.
In a statement on its website on Monday, the school said: ‘Because most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside, we have taken the difficult decision to close the school site on both days (Wednesday and Thursday).
‘All trips and other scheduled activities are also cancelled.’
The school, which has around 1,200 students until sixth form, said teachers will upload work online for pupils to complete.
St John’s Marlborough in Wiltshire said it will close early on Tuesday and be shut all day on Wednesday and Thursday before re-opening on Friday.
The Dorcan Academy in Swindon, Wiltshire, said on-site learning will finish at 11.30am on Tuesday and the school will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Other schools in Sutton in south London and Haringey in north London have also been forced to close from Tuesday to Thursday.
The Department for Education said it does not normally advise schools to close during hot weather because attendance is ‘the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential’, but that school leaders should ensure they take ‘any steps necessary to make sure children are safe and comfortable’, as it laid out guidance on how to keep pupils safe.
Elsewhere, the Army has cancelled its ceremonial elements in London and Windsor to protect the wellbeing of its soldiers, horses and members of the public.
Ceremonial duties such as the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace will not go ahead on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
The King’s Life Guard, which are mounted troops at Horse Guards, will also change without ceremony at 8am on Wednesday to ‘avoid heat stress to horses’.
Those wishing to escape the inner city temperatures in London will find their options running out, as lidos report being booked up for the peak of the heat.
London Fields Lido is fully booked until Friday, it confirmed, advising those wishing to visit to look to alternative venues including Charlton Lido instead.
And in London all Jobcentre offices will be closed for the next two days due to the red weather warning for heat.
Payments will be made to customers as normal, without the need for them to attend any appointments.
Jeremy Clarkson’s pub The Farmer’s Dog has been forced to close its butcher’s counter because of the ‘extreme heat’.
‘It turns out that when Britain reaches temperatures normally associated with southern Spain, certain things stop working properly,’ a message on the pub’s social media account read.
‘As a result, Chops (our butcher’s counter) will be closed today and potentially for the remainder of the week. The combination of extreme heat, refrigeration units and a giant tent has proved challenging.’
It also recommended that dogs were not brought to the pub today as there is ‘very little shade on site’.
Monmouthshire County Council told pedestrians they would not be able to walk across the Old Wye bridge in Chepstow from 11am today.
The local authority had recently reopened the Grade I-listed bridge linking Wales and England, but it has been closed again due to the high temperatures.
Bristol Airport was forced to temporarily suspend operations after a fault developed with its air traffic control systems, with passengers advised to contact their airlines for updates on delayed and cancelled flights.
Several flights have also been cancelled or delayed at Manchester Airport, with Turkish Airlines and Etihad Airways being the worst affected.
People apply suncream to each other as they sunbathe and swim at London Fields Lido outdoor swimming pool
People enjoy a cooling dip at London Fields Lido in London on Tuesday
Swimmers and lifeguards are pictured today on Hampstead Heath in London
People are pictured in the sea at King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth, on the northeast coast of England — June 23, 2026
A woman sunbathes at London Fields Lido outdoor swimming pool — June 23. 2026
People enjoy the sun at Fistral beach, Newquay, Cornwall — June 23, 2026
A woman fans herself on Westminster Bridge, in London, this morning with Britain set to bake — June 23, 2026
The spike in temperatures is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara as the country braces itself for a powerful ‘heat dome’
Meanwhile, hundreds of homes in Glastonbury were left without electricity after thunderstorms swept across the West Country.
The Met Office has said there were around 29,074 lightning strikes recorded across southern Britain overnight, including a majority over Somerset of 18,540 and an estimated 3,000 over London.
The storms are expected to give way to soaring temperatures as a powerful ‘heat dome’ builds across western Europe, with forecasters warning Britain could experience its hottest June day on record.
Harry Styles fans will also be offered half-priced water at Wembley Stadium from today.
The stadium’s water bottle policy has also been relaxed due to the heatwave to allow concertgoers to bring metal or hard plastic water bottles inside.
Dr Arya Assadi Langroudi, associate professor in engineering and construction at the University of East London, warned Britain’s infrastructure is being asked to operate in a climate it was never designed for.
‘When temperatures push into the high 30s, roads can soften, rail tracks expand and embankments begin to dry and crack,’ he said.
‘The concern isn’t just what happens during the heatwave itself – it’s the damage that can emerge afterwards when heavy rainfall exploits those weaknesses. What we’re witnessing is not simply hot weather; it’s a stress test for the resilience of our transport networks and built environment.’
The UK Health Security Agency has issued a red Heat Health Alert covering London, the South East, South West, East of England, East Midlands and West Midlands from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday.
The alert warns there is a ‘risk to life for even the healthy population’ and highlights the potential impact on transport, power supplies, water resources and businesses.
Large parts of the South West were battered by the lightning overnight causing mass power outages.
One house in Bristol is believed to have caught fire after being struck by lightning, leaving the roof and first floor of the home ablaze.
One neighbour said: ‘We are in the next road and the explosion was quite something. We knew something had been hit as soon as it happened and then saw the smoke. I’m so glad no one was injured.’
A fire service spokesperson said: ‘Upon arrival, crews found the house well alight.’
Videos posted on social media showed flames enveloping most of the roof and black smoke billowing into the sky.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has also said it had responded to around 400 calls overnight, including two house fires believed to be caused by lightning strikes and flooding of homes.
Rail passengers across the South East faced delays this morning as signalling systems were affected by the severe weather and precautionary speed limits were introduced to protect infrastructure following the downpours.
In Kent, thousands of passengers faced delays of at least two hours this morning after Southeastern Rail services were cancelled and delayed, leaving commuters unable to travel into London.
One service was cancelled because of a ‘signalling fault’ while another guard blamed ‘undesirables on the train’ for a later running service from Dover to King’s Cross St Pancras.
Southeastern issued an early morning alert to passengers, warning: ‘With ongoing thunderstorms and heavy rain in a number of areas, speed restrictions have been imposed in many places across the network as a precaution. Trains are continuing to run on all routes but your journey may take longer than expected.’
Similarly, 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.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which was recently nationalised, includes Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern. It said there would be no Gatwick Express from early afternoon both days, and speed restrictions will be in place across the network.
The UK’s largest operator warned passengers not to travel unless ‘absolutely necessary’ on Wednesday or Thursday.
Chiltern Railways has axed more than half its services over those three days ‘to ensure the safe operation of the railway’.
Met Office amber weather warning in place for Tuesday for most of Southern England
Amber and red weather warnings in place for Wednesday and Thursday across the UK
A bolt of lightning behind Stonehenge in Wiltshire on Monday evening
Swimmers cool off at Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside on Tuesday amid warnings the heat is set to get worse as the week progresses
The aftermath of the fire in Bristol: The house sustained serious damage in the blaze, thought to be caused by a lightning strike
Paddleboarders take advantage of good conditions in North Tyneside amid Britain’s latest heatwave
Sunbathers on the beach at Brighton during the 1976 heatwave in the UK
19-year-old model Cerica enjoyed the sunshine in the dried-up basin of Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire in 1976
The scene at the Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park as people enjoy the heatwave in 1976
One man jumps into the fountain in Trafalgar Square as the temperatures soared in 1976
This affects London Marylebone services to and from Birmingham, Oxford and Aylesbury via Amersham.
The operator said: ‘We strongly advise you to avoid travelling if possible.
‘Trains are running at greatly reduced levels to ensure everyone’s safety, which means you may experience significant delays and very busy conditions.’
A number of Eurostar trains to and from London have also been cancelled this week because of ‘adverse weather conditions’.
Two services a day between St Pancras International and Gare du Nord in Paris have been cancelled on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Passengers affected have been told they can move their booking to another date or can claim a full refund.
The disruption comes at the start of what forecasters say could become one of the most extreme June heatwaves ever recorded in Britain.
Temperatures are expected to surge dramatically today before peaking on Wednesday and Thursday, when parts of England and Wales could approach 40C.
The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for extreme heat covering a vast area stretching from London to Swansea and from Somerset to Birmingham, warning of ‘severe and significant impacts’ and even danger to life.
A female bather has already tragically died after falling ill on Bournemouth Beach during the heatwave.
The woman, who was aged in her 60s, was believed to have been in the sea with a child when she suffered a medical episode shortly after 2pm yesterday.
She was recovered to the sand by members of the public and a beach hut owner called 999.
Ambulance crews rushed to the scene at Southbourne beach and paramedics carried out CPR on her for some time while a screen was put up around them.
Thousands of rail passengers faced a morning of travel chaos today after overnight thunderstorms and torrential rain triggered signalling problems. Pictured: Lightening strikes in Sheerness, Kent
Parts of the South West were battered by thunderstorms on Monday evening, with lightning strikes, power outages and transport disruption reported across the region. Pictured: Sheerness, Kent
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: ‘At 2.21pm on Monday we were called to assist with a medical emergency at Southbourne promenade to clear an area to enable emergency services to attend safely.
‘Sadly, a short time later a woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next of kin is aware and the coroner has been notified. The death is not being treated as suspicious.’
Network Rail has urged passengers to think carefully before travelling as soaring temperatures threaten further disruption to services.
In a warning, the rail operator said passengers travelling to, from or within areas covered by the red weather warning should only make journeys if they are absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday.
Rail services will continue to run, but trains will be forced to operate at reduced speeds because extreme heat can cause rails to expand and overhead power lines to sag, increasing the risk of delays, cancellations and last-minute timetable changes.
Transport for London has also warned of possible disruption across rail and Tube services as track temperatures rise.
There will also be no rail replacement bus services during the peak of the heatwave.
Jake Kelly, deputy chief executive of Network Rail, said: ‘Extreme heat can have a significant impact on the railway, so safety must come first.
‘We’re asking passengers to check before travelling on Tuesday, and only travel if absolutely essential on Wednesday and Thursday if they are going to, from or within the red warning zone as temperatures are expected to peak.
‘If you do need to travel in this area or outside of it where it will still be hot, please plan ahead, allow extra time and take necessary precautions, such as carrying water, to stay safe. We thank passengers for their patience and understanding during this period.’
One commuters woke to major disruption after heavy rain swept across southern England overnight
The extreme conditions have already forced hundreds of schools to alter plans, with some closing entirely and others introducing early finishes
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.’
The extreme conditions have already forced hundreds of schools to alter plans, with some closing entirely and others introducing early finishes.
Schools across large parts of the south of England are worst affected, with councils reporting dozens of closures each in areas including Somerset, London, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
While some schools are opting to close entirely on Wednesday and Thursday, others are closing at lunchtime or giving students the opportunity to learn from home.
National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Paul Whiteman said: ‘While there is no legal ‘upper limit’ for temperature in schools, (school leaders) will certainly be doing all they can to mitigate the effects of such high temperatures.’
Road users are also being warned to expect disruption as temperatures rise.
The AA said gritters could be deployed to spread stone chippings on roads at risk of softening in the heat, while RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis urged motorists without effective air conditioning to avoid non-essential journeys in areas covered by the red warning.
