Heavy rain and lightning hit the UK overnight, with multiple thunderstorm warnings remaining in place across the country on Friday morning. The record for the hottest June day could be smashed again, as the Met Office forecasts an “exceptional spell of hot and humid weather” to continue in the southeast. A high of 40C is forecast in parts of Norfolk this afternoon, which would exceed yesterday’s record-breaking 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset. The rare red warning for extreme heat is in place until 9pm for London & South East England and the East of England.According to the Met Office, the heat will be accompanied by “high humidity, exacerbating the potential for discomfort and health impacts”. The extreme weather triggered at least three hospitals to declare critical incidents. Equipment including MRI scanners stopped working and some operations were cancelled. Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust both declared critical incidents on Wednesday. University Hospital Southampton declared a critical incident on Thursday afternoon because of the ongoing extreme heat.Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The IndependentMet Office five-day forecastTodayRather cloudy across Scotland with outbreaks of rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by hail and gusty winds. Elsewhere, some early showers, then dry with sunny spells. Extreme heat transferring to eastern England, with temperatures further west dropping slightly.TonightRain slowly clearing Scotland. Heavy, possibly thundery, showers cross the southeast in the second half of the night. Dry with clear spells elsewhere. Warm, but slightly cooler than previous nights.SaturdayShowers, possibly thundery, in the east and southeast. Rain slowly edging into the northwest. Sunny spells elsewhere. Still hot in the southeast, but temperatures lower than of late.Outlook for Sunday to TuesdayShowery rain edging east on Sunday with cooler, fresher conditions following. Mostly dry with sunny spells from Monday, but occasional rain or showers in the northwest. Temperatures nearer to average.Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 07:54Mapped: What weather warnings are in force on Friday?A series of weather warnings are in place across the country today, with heavy rain, lightning, and extreme heat forecast. Scotland is under a yellow thunderstorm warning for the entire day, while Northern Ireland, Wales, and large swathes of north and east England are under the warning until 10am. Meanwhile, an “exceptional spell of hot and humid weather” will continue in London & South East England and the East of England, where a red warning for extreme heat is in place until 9pm. An amber warning for extreme heat is in force in areas in southeastern England until 9pm tomorrow.A series of weather warnings are in force on Friday (Met Office)Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 07:37Record-breaking heatwave virtually impossible 50 years ago, scientists warnThe June heatwave gripping the UK and Europe would have been virtually impossible in 1976, with climate change fuelling extreme heat, analysis shows.A rapid assessment of the extremely hot and humid conditions over much of north, western and central Europe found it was the most severe heatwave ever recorded across the region.The UK has seen temperatures break June records dating back to the infamous summer of 1976, while France has recorded its hottest day ever and temperatures have soared elsewhere in Europe, with widespread disruption and pressure on people’s health.The analysis found both the daytime highs and overnight temperatures seen during the current heatwave would be virtually impossible at this time of year under the climate of 50 years ago.A similar heatwave occurring in the climate of 1976 would be 3.5C cooler, the scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said.The scientists also said the sweltering overnight temperatures keeping many people awake are about 100 times more likely today than they were just 23 years ago during the deadly 2003 European heatwave, and the daytime peaks are about 10 times more likely.The humidity seen in the current heatwave is a growing danger, they warned, with nearly half (45%) of 854 cities across 30 European countries breaking or expected in late June to break their “wet bulb globe temperature” record – a measure of heat stress and the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating.For the UK and Ireland, heat stress records were broken in more than half the cities in the analysis.Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 07:28Heatwave threatens 12 million people living with lung conditions in UKAndrew McCracken, director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “The health impacts of climate change are impossible to ignore. NHS trusts are now declaring critical incidents as record-breaking temperatures damage our health – including the air we breathe. “Heatwaves are a real threat to the 12 million people living with lung conditions in the UK. The soaring temperatures pose a double danger – not only does the heat make it harder to breathe, but it worsens air quality by increasing the amount of ozone and particulate pollution in the atmosphere. “The government can do something to change this, by delivering on its promise of a new Clean Air Act – protecting people from dangerous heat wave pollution and cutting the emissions that make these extreme events more frequent.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 06:00Do hot drinks cool you down in a heatwave?Studies show that hot drinks can surprisingly reduce body temperature – but no more than cool drinks.A 2016 study by Loughborough University found that a key factor in which is better depends on the environment. Researchers found that hot drinks increase sweat production, and so in moderate, dry heat can leave people feeling cooler long-term as this evaporates from the skin.But in hotter and more humid conditions, it is usually preferable not to sweat excessively, as this can lead to “inefficient sweat losses” which will affect overall hydration.And this is key – staying hydrated is one of the most important things in hot weather, with more liquid than usual required to prevent dehydrationOverall, the difference between ingesting hot and cool drinks is minimal, although cooler drinks will likely provide more immediate relief. What’s most important is drinking plenty of liquid to aid general hydration.Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 05:00What is a heat dome? How Europe’s scorching temperatures are driving the UK heatwaveThis unseasonably hot weather is being driven by a significant area of trapped high pressure building in Europe, known as a ‘heat dome’, which is triggering scorching temperatures across the continent.Here we explore what causes a heat dome and how a heatwave is defined:Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 04:00Do I have to send my child to school during a heatwave?The Department for Education recommends that parents still send their children to school during a heatwave.It is up to each school to implement early closures, and there is no maximum temperature at which they must do so.The DfE says that “during hot weather, we don’t normally advise schools to close.“This is because school attendance is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential, and hot weather can usually be managed safely.”If a student cannot attend school because the weather has disrupted travel, parents should inform the school as soon as possible, the government said.The DfE said it was “carefully considering” recommendations from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and Trades Union Congress to implement a maximum temperature limit for schools.The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has written to its members with guidance on dealing with the heat this week.Paul Whiteman, its 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.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 03:00Why leaving a dog in a hot car for one minute is too long – and what to do if you spot oneAnimal welfare experts have issued advice on what to do if you see a distressed animal stuck in a car during this week’s scorching temperatures.Animal welfare experts have made a plea to dog owners not to leave their pets inside hot vehicles during the heatwave, saying cars can be a “death trap” for canines.The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said anyone who sees a distressed dog in a car should call the police to report it.Read more here:Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 02:00Hosepipe ban map: Is my area under restrictions during record UK heatwave?South East Water has put an official temporary hosepipe use ban in place, covering much of the Kent region. Other areas served by the company – Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and Sussex (both East and West) – have also been advised to pause all use.A hosepipe ban is different to an advisory notice. Anyone caught breaching an official ban can be issued with a fine of up to £1,000.Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 01:00London’s hottest Tube lines revealed as capital bakes in record-breaking heatwaveDespite the record temperatures, commuters could still be seen in droves in central London, braving the notoriously high Tube heat.Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 00:00