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Schools in England closed early on Tuesday and are expected to remain closed for two more days, as a heatwave has set new records in the UK and is spreading across Europe.
The UK’s meteorological office has issued a very rare red heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday.
Temperatures could reach 40°C, unusually high for this time of year and unprecedented for the season.
The red “extreme heat” warning extends to parts of central and south England, including London and Birmingham, the UK’s two biggest cities.
The Met Office also forecast that the June temperature record 35.6 °C, set in 1976, could be broken on Tuesday, with the mercury expected to rise to 37 °C in southern England.
“To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Human-induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense,” said Met Office chief scientist Stephen Belcher, also echoing warnings issued by scientists around the world.
They warned that high overnight temperatures could see “tropical nights” across parts of England and Wales.
“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,” said Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway.
Additionally, Network Rail, which manages most of the UK’s railway, told passengers to “only travel if absolutely necessary” on those days, while the railway line connecting the northeast to London issued a “do not travel” advisory.
