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”.
A wildfire tore through large areas of moorland and woodland near Greater Manchester on Thursday night, sending plumes of thick smoke across the villages of Tintwistle, Hollingworth and Woolley Bridge.
The extreme weather also 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.
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Hosepipe 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 09:14
Another tropical night as temperatures stayed above 22C
Temperatures in southern areas of England and Wales did not drop below 22C all night, Met Office figures show.
London at 2am was still heating up at 23C south west of London at 2am, and remained at around 25C around the south eastern coast.
A tropical night is the meteorological term for an evening when the temperature does not drop below 20C.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 09:05
Watch: Sky glows orange as ferocious wildfire rages near Glossop
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 08:56
Avoid non-essential travel across much of England, train passengers told
Train passengers are being urged to avoid non-essential travel across much of England on Friday because of extreme heat.
Network Rail said services operating in the Met Office’s red and amber zones should only be used “if absolutely necessary”.
The red area – which is in place until 9pm – covers London and other parts of the South East.
The wider amber zone stretches from the south coast up to the North West and South Yorkshire, and is in force all day.
South Western Railway (SWR), which serves a number of popular coastal destinations in Dorset and Hampshire, including Bournemouth, issued a plea for people to avoid non-essential travel to beaches.
Like many operators across Britain, it has reduced its timetable on Friday and services that do run are expected to be busier than usual.
Stuart Meek, chief operating officer for SWR and Network Rail Wessex, said: “While it might be tempting to head down to the beach to enjoy the sunshine, we strongly urge customers to heed our advice to avoid getting stranded.”
Passengers with a ticket for Friday can use it at a different time or on another day up to and including Tuesday June 30 at no extra cost.
Alternatively they can obtain a refund without paying an admin fee.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 08:42
Ambulance chief warns people to ‘drink responsibly’ as sweltering heat continues
A chief at the country’s largest ambulance service has warned people to drink responsibly and avoid exercising outside amid a punishing heatwave which has seen record-breaking temperatures for June.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) responded to its highest number of life-threatening emergencies ever on Wednesday, and its chief operating officer Craig Harman said they expect “demand to grow day on day over the next couple of days”.
He said that it is not just the elderly and people with underlying health conditions affected by the heat, adding: “I’m saying to people I need you to drink water even when you’re not thirsty, staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, and particularly not exercising outside and putting your body under additional heat and strain.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 08:35
Wildfire tears through moorlands near Greater Manchester
A wildfire has torn through large areas of moorland and woodland near Greater Manchester, sending plumes of thick smoke across the villages of Tintwistle, Hollingworth and Woolley Bridge.
The wildfire, which erupted on Thursday night, has affected around 500 square metres.
Crews from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester attempted to tackle the flames overnight, but the fire rages on this morning.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 08:26
UK grid operator makes fresh call for power as heatwave goes on
The body which operates Britain’s electricity network has made another industry call for more power generation as the week’s heatwave rages on.
The National Energy System Operator (Neso) said electricity supplies may be squeezed on Friday.
Neso, which is tasked with making sure the supply of electricity matches demand for it, issued a so-called electricity margin notice for between 7pm and 10pm.
It is asking for 700 megawatts (MW) of power generation as a buffer to cover an expected shortfall in electricity margins.
It is the second time this week that Neso has issued a call for more power, having done the same before Wednesday.
However, the grid operator cancelled the warning shortly after 2pm on Wednesday, indicating it was confident in power supply levels for the evening.
A spokesman for Neso said its forecasts were showing “tight margins on the electricity system” for Friday evening.“This is due to the impact of extremely high temperatures affecting Great Britain and the continent,” it said.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain26 June 2026 08:20
Where could temperatures hit 40C today?
Britons are due for another record-breaking day, as temperatures are expected to climb to 40C in the southeast of England.
The hottest weather is forecast in parts of Norfolk and Suffolk, which will likely experience the hottest June day ever, smashing yesterday’s record of 36.7C.
If temperatures go above 40.3C, it will be the hottest day ever recorded in the UK.
Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 08:05
Britons will struggle to put food on table as heatwaves become the norm, scientists warn
Climate scientists have warned that Britons will struggle to put food on the table within a matter of years, as heatwaves escalate and harvests continue to fail.
University of Oxford professor Paul Behrens has urged the government to act on the food security “crisis” he says the UK is facing, saying extreme weather events will continue to send food prices skyrocketing.
His message comes amid a heatwave that has smashed several records in the UK and prompted experts to issue stark warnings about increasingly frequent extreme heat events.
“Farmers are contending with an endless sequence of really extreme rain, heat, drought, and storm events, and this is all affecting the way in which we’re growing food,” Mr Behrens told The Independent.
“We’ve seen yields first stagnate and then drop in the country. We’re seeing farmers struggling with feeding animals during floods, because if the animals can’t go to pasture, then they have to buy and feed during the winter.”
Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 08:03
Avoid non-essential travel across much of England, train passengers told
Train passengers are being urged to avoid non-essential travel across much of England on Friday because of extreme heat.
Network Rail said services operating in the Met Office’s red and amber zones should only be used “if absolutely necessary”.
The red area – which is in place until 9pm – covers London and other parts of the South East.
The wider amber zone stretches from the south coast up to the North West and South Yorkshire, and is in force all day.
South Western Railway (SWR), which serves a number of popular coastal destinations in Dorset and Hampshire, including Bournemouth, issued a plea for people to avoid non-essential travel to beaches.
Like many operators across Britain, it has reduced its timetable on Friday and services that do run are expected to be busier than usual.
Stuart Meek, chief operating officer for SWR and Network Rail Wessex, said: “While it might be tempting to head down to the beach to enjoy the sunshine, we strongly urge customers to heed our advice to avoid getting stranded.”
Harriette Boucher26 June 2026 07:57
