Several schools are sending students home early this week to protect them from the extreme heatwave set to scorch the UK.It comes after Britons were warned of a risk to life “for even the healthy population”, with a rare red weather warning for extreme heat issued for parts of the country.With temperatures forecast to reach up to 40C on Wednesday, the AA said drivers could see gritters out on roads and cautioned that the heat could put extra strain on vehicles.The UK Health Security Agency also issued red heat health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, and South West.Sweltering heat is expected until at least Thursday, with the Met Office expecting the record for the hottest June temperature to be smashed.The Met Office’s red weather warning, which stretches from London across to Somerset and Swansea and up towards Birmingham, comes into force at 9am on Wednesday and will be lifted at 9pm on Thursday.In addition to the extreme heat warning, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms which were forecast to hit the south of England on Monday evening.We are campaigning to rebuild Britain's relationship with Europe. Join us hereMet Office five-day forecastTodayA very hot and humid day across England and Wales with strong sunshine. Hot across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland with light winds.Outlook for Wednesday to FridayExtremely hot and humid in southern and central parts of England and Wales. Strong sunshine at times, but increasingly cloudy by Thursday with showers. Becoming slightly cooler from Friday.Rebecca Whittaker23 June 2026 04:35 UK heatwave: 40C in June must be wake-up call on climate crisis, scientists warnScientists are warning that politicians are failing to appreciate the magnitude of the climate crisis after the Met Office forecast that temperatures in the UK could hit 40C for just the second time since records began.Rare red warnings have been issued over extreme temperatures that are this week set to hit record highs for June – smashing the record set in 1976 by several degrees.The hot conditions will have major knock-on effects for health, schools, workers and transport, with experts warning that the predicted temperatures are “incredibly alarming” and should be seen as a public health threat.Read more here by Nick Ferris the Independent’s climate correspondent: Rebecca Whittaker23 June 2026 03:00Met Office warn it will be a 'warm and muggy' night as temperatures stay high overnightTonight some areas of the UK are forecast to not drop much below 20C, according to the Met Office. It warned that it will fee “warm and muggy” as temperatures are not expected to drastically drop. Rebecca Whittaker23 June 2026 02:00Recap: Where is the Red Heat-Health Alert ?The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a heat-health alert for most of southern England, the midlands and parts of Wales until June 25.Health chiefs have warned this is the highest level of alert that means it’s not just vulnerable groups at risk. Rebecca Whittaker23 June 2026 01:00Drivers urged to postpone journeys as record heatwave threatens to melt roadsThe RAC, which issued the urgent plea, also urged drivers to exercise "patience" as record demand is expected to lead to extended wait times for breakdown assistance.RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said those warnings are “rare” and “we urge everyone to take them seriously this week”.Harriette Boucher23 June 2026 00:00Heatwave sparks health and transport concerns as rare red health warning issuedExtreme heat expected this week has sparked concerns over impacts on health, schools and transport, as a rare red heat health alert is issued.The Met Office said this week’s heatwave will see temperatures exceed 37C in the shade and could even see them rise to 38C to 40C in some parts of England and Wales, as human-driven climate change intensifies the impact of a “heat-dome” settling over western Europe.The hot conditions, which have been very rare in the UK until now, will be accompanied by high humidity, and very warm and humid nights which will make it hard for people to recover overnight, the forecasters added.Read more here: Harriette Boucher22 June 2026 23:30What is a red weather warning and what should Britons expect?A red warning is the most extreme weather alert that is only issued when significant impacts are expected.The Met Office said the heat, which could reach 40C, will bring high humidity, exacerbating the potential for discomfort and health impacts, with very warm and humid night times also reducing the ability for people to recover overnight.“During the heatwave expected to affect a large part of England and Wales this week, the highlighted area now looks increasingly likely to see a two to three day period where maximum temperatures in the shade exceed 37 Celsius, perhaps rising to 38 to 40 Celsius in some places.“Significant disruption to daily life is likely and the public should take every effort to make precautions and adapt their daily routines where possible to cope with these levels of heat, which up to now have been extremely rare for the UK.”Harriette Boucher22 June 2026 23:00Recap: South East Water customers told to only use water for essential purposesSouth East Water is urging households to only use water for essential purposes while demand for drinking water is “exceptionally high”.On Sunday, its customers used 56 million litres more water than usual, and it’s expected that this figure will rise as temperatures get higher.Households have been told to stop using hosepipes and only use water for hygiene, drinking and cooking.Thames Water and Anglian Water have also asked customers to “ditch the hosepipe” and reduce their water consumption.Dr Geoff Darch, head of strategic asset planning at Anglian Water, said: “As always, our teams are working round the clock to keep taps flowing across our region, but during hot weather like this, we see a much higher demand for water, which puts pressure on our networks.“Please think carefully about your water usage and use less water now, to help make sure that you and your community have enough water to go around.”Harriette Boucher22 June 2026 22:30A trade union has urged employers to keep workers safe during the heatwave and not let them work in extreme and dangerous conditions,Joanne Thomas, Usdaw general secretary, said: “Heat stress is a real health and safety risk that can lead to more accidents and injuries. As the temperature rises, heat exhaustion starts. People begin to suffer loss of concentration, irritability, dizziness, headaches, nausea and fainting.“Under current regulations, there is a legal minimum temperature limit for working indoors. However, there is currently no law stating a maximum – only the responsibility to assess the risks and provide temporary, local cooling methods, access to water and rest facilities where necessary“Usdaw has long campaigned for the introduction of a legal maximum working temperature of 30C, or 2°C for those doing strenuous work, with employers obliged to adopt cooling measures when the workplace temperature hits 24C.”Harriette Boucher22 June 2026 22:00Europe heatwave mapped: France bans alcohol and Spain cancels sporting events as temperatures soar to 40CThe Independent’s Alex Croft reports: Europe heatwave mapped: France bans alcohol and Spain cancels sporting events as temperatures soar to 40CTemperatures are set to rocket above a scorching 40 degrees celsius (C) in Europe this week, as the continent braces for the hottest weather of the year so far.European countries have restricted public drinking, cancelled transport, concerts, and sporting events, and are preparing to close schools as they urge people to take extreme precaution in what is likely to be a deadly heatwave.In France, three people have died as extreme heat strikes the country, forcing nearly 2,700 schools to plan closure with temperatures in Bordeaux expected to exceed 42C on Monday.Harriette Boucher22 June 2026 21:30