The UK has recorded its hottest ever June day – 35.7C in Charlwood, Surrey, beating the 1976 record of 35.6C – as a ‘heat dome’ over western Europe drives exceptional temperatures, forcing schools to close, transport networks to buckle and, in a moment of dark irony, a conference on extreme heat to be cancelled.
The talk, titled ‘Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world’, was due to take place at LSE’s Shaw Library in central London as part of London Climate Action Week. But as the mercury hit record levels and the Met Office issued a rare red heat warning – only the second in history – university bosses pulled the event. ‘We regret that this event has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office,’ a notice on the LSE website said. The event was to include the first award of the Adeline Stuart-Watt prize for research into climate adaptation.
“UK records hottest June day at 35.7C as heatwave triggers red warnings, school closures, and the cancellation of an extreme heat conference.”
The red warning – in force across an area from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham, then extended to the south coast including Brighton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth – came into effect at 9am on Wednesday and runs until 9pm on Thursday. Met Office chief forecaster Matthew Lehnert said: ‘This is exceptional heat for June with temperature records expected to be broken this week. Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events.’ An amber warning for Friday covers eastern and central England, where temperatures could reach 38C.
More than 1,000 schools in England and Wales have closed or sent pupils home early. Network Rail urged people to avoid travel. Even Greggs shut its shops ‘to protect our customers and colleagues during the severe hot weather’. The hot and humid nights – with temperatures not dropping below 20C in urban areas, known as tropical nights – are making the heat harder to bear. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events at the UK Health Security Agency, said: ‘A red heat health alert indicates a risk to life for even the healthy population.’ The UKHSA has issued red health alerts for the East of England, East Midlands, London, the South East, the South West and the West Midlands.
Jim Dale, a meteorologist, warned the UK is in danger of ‘boiling over’ as climate change makes extreme heat commonplace. The high recorded at Charlwood may yet be surpassed: a provisional 36C was logged at Wisley, Surrey, awaiting verification. But relief is on the horizon. The Met Office said high pressure will shift east from Friday, bringing a gradual cooling. By Sunday, temperatures could be 15C lower, with London forecast to reach 25C and Cardiff 20C.