Met Office issues 'tropical nights' warning to 98 UK areas until Thursday

1 month ago 80

A rare red weather warning has been issued for extreme heat and humidity.

13:59, Mon, Jun 22, 2026 Updated: 14:07, Mon, Jun 22, 2026

Sleepless woman sitting up in bed at night

Widespread ‘tropical nights’ are forecast this week with temperatures above 20C (Image: Getty)

The Met Office has issued a ‘tropical nights’ warning to 98 UK areas until Thursday as extreme heat and humidity are forecast.

This week’s heatwave is forecast to reach highs of 37C in southern parts of England on Tuesday, and up to 35C in south east Wales, with the peak of the heat expected on Wednesday and Thursday when temperatures are forecast to climb to at least 39C or higher in places. The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning from 9am on Wednesday until 9pm on Thursday, while a separate amber warning is in force from midnight on Wednesday until 23.59pm covering much of southern and central England, as well as much of Wales.

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The national forecaster said the exceptional spell of hot weather is expected to cause adverse health effects, including serious illness or danger to life, as well as potential power cuts and loss of other essential services, such as water, electricity, gas, or mobile phone services.

But it’s not just the extreme daytime heat that is a concern, as overnight temperatures will also be very high, bringing widespread ‘tropical nights’ with temperatures remaining above 20C.

The Met Office said tropical nights are forecast across parts of England and Wales, with overnight temperatures in London expected to reach 24C on Tuesday, climbing to 25C on Wednesday.

It’s now expected that the heatwave will bring record-breaking June temperatures, exceeding the current UK highest temperature on record for June of 35.6C recorded in Southampton in June 1976 and Camden Square in June 1957.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway said: “Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events, and 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.

“The last time the UK recorded temperatures this high was in July 2022, but on this occasion the heat is expected to be accompanied by high humidity.

“As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20C, which is called a Tropical Night. This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.”

To help stay cool in hot weather, the Met Office and NHS advice recommends staying out of the sun between the peak heat of the day, between 11am and 3pm, drinking plenty of fluids and keeping curtains and blinds closed in rooms that face the sun.

Windows should be opened again at night when the outside temperature has dropped to allow cooler air to circulate. Electric fans can help cool down rooms if the temperature is below 35C.

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Listed are the 98 UK areas covered by a red or amber warning for extreme heat on Wednesday and Thursday, with tropical nights forecast: