UK issues rare red heat warning as schools close across England and Wales

Hundreds of schools across Wales closed or changed hours as the extreme heatwave brought potentially dangerous temperatures

Britain is staring down a potentially historic heat surge as rare red warnings take hold, prompting school closures and blunt advice for people to stay put unless travel is essential. Forecasters say temperatures could reach 40C today and tomorrow in parts of England and Wales, as a “heat-dome” parked over western Europe drives extreme conditions […]

UK heat emergency: Over 500 schools shut in Wales as rare red warning issued, temperatures may hit 39°C

A rare red extreme heat warning covering a vast swathe of England and Wales came into force this morning.

Britain is grappling with unprecedented summer heat, forcing schools to close early or shut down entirely as temperatures soar towards record highs. Health experts warn of risks to children, who struggle to regulate body heat. While no maximum classroom temperature law exists, authorities are prioritizing safety. Parents are urged to ensure hydration and watch for heat-related illness, as climate change fuels more extreme weather events.

The Met Office issued a rare red heat warning as temperatures could soar to 40C, unprecedented for this time of year.

Unions say it is dangerous for schools to stay open in high temperatures Hundreds of schools across the south of England and Wales are expected to close or vary their hours this week, in an effort to combat the extreme heat and conditions labelled as dangerous by education unions.School leaders said they had warned parents about potential closures on Wednesday and Thursday, with many opting to end the day early to avoid the worst of the afternoon heat. Continue reading...

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Multiple schools in England were shutting early Tuesday and set to remain closed for two more days with a heatwave expected to set new records in the United Kingdom (UK) as it spreads across Europe. The UK's meteorological office issued an extremely rare red heat warning — only issued once before — for Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures could soar to 40C, unprecedented for the time of the year. 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 — 35.6C, set in 1976 — could be broken on Tuesday, with the mercury expected to rise to 37C in southern England. "To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering," said Met Office chief scientist Stephen Belcher. "Human induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense," he added, echoing warnings issued by scientists around the world. Climate experts have also repeatedly told the Government that the UK is not prepared for warmer summers. Dozens of schools said they planned to close early on Tuesday. A school in southeastern Buckinghamshire said it was closing on Wednesday and Thursday because "most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside". 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. The Met Office 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.

Some schools announced plans to close early beginning today (Picture: Getty) Dozens of schools have been forced to close amid rare red warnings over extreme temperatures that are expected to hit record highs for June. A ‘heat-dome’ settling over western Europe could bring temperatures of up to 40C in some parts of England and Wales in the middle part of the week, the Met Office has said. The hot conditions, which have been very rare in the UK until now, will be accompanied by high humidity and very warm nights, making it hard for people to recover overnight, the forecaster warned. 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 from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday. Scores of schools across England and Wales announced they would close or finish early later this week to protect pupils amid the extreme heat. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Which schools are closing in the heat? The Buckingham School in Buckinghamshire said it will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and asked students to take part in online learning. The weather is expected to be record-breaking (Picture: Getty) 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. @metrouk London could be hotter than parts of Spain this week. The red warning means ‘extreme heat’ and covers all of London, much of the south east, the Midlands, West Country and parts of Wales. Forecasters are warning that temperatures in the capital could soar towards 40°C as a major heatwave grips the UK, with the Met Office issuing rare extreme heat warnings and warning of potentially record-breaking conditions. Experts say the hottest days are expected in the middle of the week, with tropical nights making it difficult to cool down even after sunset. #heatwave #london #londonweather #ukweather ♬ DOJA – SATX 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. Some schools are set to close as early as lunch time today (Picture: Getty) Some schools will remain open this week but close at about lunchtime on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, including Pewsey Vale School, Dilton Marsh Primary and Malmesbury School in Wiltshire, Ditton Park Academy in Slough, Berkshire, The Bulmershe School in Reading, Berkshire, Cheam High School in Surrey and Sydenham School in London. Meanwhile, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said it has written to all its members with guidance on dealing with the heat this week, including the impact on pupils and staff, legal positions and when to consider closure. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, 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.’ The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a red health warning for six regions of England – the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and the East of England – from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday. This indicates ‘a risk to life for even the healthy population’ as well as impacts beyond health and social care, with potential effects on transport systems, food, water, energy supplies and businesses. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

Temperatures could reach 38C to 40C in some parts of England and Wales, overtaking the 35.6C set in 1976 by several degrees.

A red weather warning for extreme heat has been issued by the Met Office as schools across the nation are closing due to safety fears

The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach 40C in some areas of England and Wales as schools across the UK close due to the heatwave

Red weather warnings for extreme heat have been issued for parts of England and Wales

A "heat-dome" settling over western Europe has led to a rare red weather warning for extreme heat in parts of England and Wales.

A "heat-dome" settling over western Europe has led to a rare red weather warning for extreme heat in parts of England and Wales.

A "heat-dome" settling over western Europe has led to a rare red weather warning for extreme heat in parts of England and Wales.

Temperatures could reach 38C to 40C in some parts of England and Wales, overtaking the 35.6C set in 1976 by several degrees.

Temperatures could reach 38C to 40C in some parts of England and Wales, overtaking the 35.6C set in 1976 by several degrees.