England and Wales brace for second June heat record as heatwave intensifies

Britain’s June heat record fell again on Wednesday as 36.1C was logged at Gosport, Hampshire. Hundreds of schools had already closed early in parts of England and Wales, while Network Rail urged passengers to take only essential journeys as the rail network came under pressure from the heat.

The Met Office kept a Red Extreme Heat Warning in place for Wednesday and Thursday, with amber warnings covering much of southern and central England and much of Wales. Temperatures were expected to reach at least 39C in the hottest areas, could go higher in places, and may stay above 20C overnight, creating tropical nights that would add to heat stress in humid conditions. The warning also covered knock-on risks for transport, energy, water supply and businesses, while UKHSA extended red heat-health alerts across six English regions until 11pm on Friday 26 June.

Wales also provisionally set a new June minimum temperature record, with 20.3C at St Athan, South Glamorgan, overnight on 23 June, while the old June maximum of 35.6C, reached on 28 June 1976 and matched on 29 June 1957, was overtaken at Gosport. The June spike followed a record-breaking May, when daily UK temperature records also fell. Met Office science manager Amy Doherty said the new record, if confirmed, would add evidence that extreme temperatures are becoming more common because of human-induced climate change, while chief scientist Professor Stephen Belcher said climate change had made such episodes more likely and more intense.

In the South West, NHS staff were keeping patients safe as rising demand and severe weather put services under pressure, with health teams making beds available, moving patients safely and supporting vulnerable people. The Health and Safety Executive said employers had legal duties to protect workers from extreme heat.