England issues red heat warning as temperatures near 39 °C

The UK Health Security Agency extended a red heat‑health alert for England until 11 pm on Friday 26 June, covering the South East, South West, London, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands after temperatures across six English regions rose to around 39 °C.

It is only the second red alert since July 2022 and signals a risk to life even for healthy people, with possible disruptions to transport, food, water, energy and business services. High humidity with dew points near 22 °C will create tropical nights, while cooler air is expected to move in from the west later in the weekend.