London is set for its hottest June days on record as temperatures reach as high as 40C in the capital this week.
The Met Office has issued a red alert for extreme heat on Wednesday and Thursday amid an unprecedented heatwave.
Last month saw the UK’s hottest-ever May day when a temperature of 35.1C was recorded in Kew Gardens.
The coming days are set to be even hotter, soaring past the previous record for June of 35.6C by some margin.
Londoners are being warned to take precautions to stay cool in the soaring temperatures.
Follow below for all the latest updates
Key points
Live updates
London heatwave 'sleep nightmare' as record four straight tropical nights bring 31C at 11pm
As a sweltering heatwave grips the capital, Londoners are facing four tropical nights as temperatures hit 31C at as late as 11pm.
Day time temperatures will peak at 40C by Wednesday in London, with the temperature never dropping below 20C at night from Tuesday night to Friday night.
A tropical night is defined as when temperatures do not drop below 20C, according to the Met Office.
Monday night will be the last night with temperature below the “tropical night” threshold, before four consecutive nights of sweltering heat, even once the sun has gone down.
Where to watch the England v Ghana game in London
England fans are in for a sweltering evening tomorrow as they watch the Three Lions in their second group stage match against Ghana.
Tuesday will see a high of 35C in the afternoon and London is forecast to still be at 30C when the game kicks off at 9pm.
Read here for the Standard’s guide to the best spots to watch the crucial match across the capital.
Fire chiefs issue warning to parents during 'dangerous heatwave'
Fire chiefs are urging extreme caution in outdoor spaces this week.
As people flock outdoors or to coastal areas, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) warns of dangers associated with hot conditions.
The NFCC is urging parents and carers to discuss the dangers of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, canals and quarries with children, and is reminding people that water temperature can remain dangerously cold despite the warn air temperatures.
London schools to close early as rare red heat warning issued
A number of London schools have already announced they are to close early in the coming days amid the heatwave.
Schools in Sutton and Haringey are among those to announce closures.
Greenpeace calls for limit to emissions
Greenpeace bosses have called this week’s weather forecast “staggering”, in a warning against the use of fossil fuels.
Mel Evans, Greenpeace UK’s head of climate, said: “Today’s forecast is staggering. Heatwaves are expected to get longer, hotter and more dangerous to human life, to crops and to wildlife.
“While Greenpeace has long warned of this threat, we now have weather presenters saying they’ve been in tears over the risk to life that climate change poses.
“Ordinary people are increasingly paying the price for extreme heat they didn’t cause while fossil fuel giants continue to rake in billions.
“The Met Office is clear: we must limit emissions to prevent the worst of the risks.
“The Government must take action to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and hold polluters accountable for the escalating havoc they are responsible for here and across the globe.”
How long will the London heatwave last?
This week’s heatwave has officially taken hold today, with highs of 29C throughout much of the day which will peter off to around 24C by 9pm.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather alert for Monday and Tuesday. Tomorrow will see highs of 36C.
This will be upgraded to a red weather warning by Wednesday when temperatures are expected to edge 40C and 39C on Thursday.
To add insult to injury, the high humidity is expected to make the heatwave feel especially uncomfortable.
But when will the heatwave be over? Read the full story here.
Eurostar cancels services due to heatwave
Eurostar has cancelled a number of trains to and from London this week due to the scorching temperatures expected during the heatwave sweeping Europe.
Two services a day between London St Pancras International and Paris‘ Gare du Nord have been cancelled, with the train operator citing “adverse weather conditions”.
Londoners braced for record four straight tropical nights
As a sweltering heatwave grips the capital, Londoners are facing four straight tropical for the first time.
A tropical night is defined as when temperatures do not drop below 20C, according to the Met Office.
Monday night will be the last night with temperature below the “tropical night” threshold, before four consecutive nights of sweltering heat, even once the sun has gone down.
On one evening forecaster predict it could be 31C at 11pm and on some evenings it is predicted not fall below 25C at any point.
Met Office say heatwave will be on a 'much bigger scale' than in May
Dr Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, has said that the conditions during this week’s heatwave will far exceed the heat seen in June in the past, and will be on “much bigger scale” than the heatwave the UK experienced recently at the end of May.
He added that the extreme heat would be of greater longevity than the record heatwave in 2022, when, for a “short, sharp” period, temperatures climbed above 40C in some places for the first time ever in the UK.
He said: “We are forecasting extreme temperatures in the next few days, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday, when it looks like we’ll be seeing maximum temperatures into the high 30s.
“But also we are stressing very high overnight temperatures which will be very uncomfortable for vulnerable groups, and very humid conditions as well.
“We’ve got several days into the mid to high 30s, and humidity is a lot higher, so it could be a lot more impactful, including for the general population, so we’re asking everyone to consider their behaviours and travel and how to keep cool in the high temperatures.
“These heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more severe due to the changing climate.”
What temperature is too hot to work under UK law?
As temperatures soar people will be asking themselves if they have to work in such hot temperatures.
Brits have some rights regarding workplace protections, so you may be able to arue to your employer that it’s too hot for you to do your job.
