UK heatwave live: School closures confirmed as Met Office issues red extreme heat warning

UK heatwave live: School closures confirmed as Met Office issues red extreme heat warning The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning as temperatures could surge as high as 40C - which may mean we see the hottest day ever this week A number of schools across the UK have confirmed school closures from today (Tuesday June 23) as temperatures soar. The Met Office has issued red warning for 'extreme heat' as it looks likely high temperature records could be broken this week. The UK is set for its hottest June days on record as temperatures reach as high as 40C this week. Headteachers have raised concerns about the health and comfort of children in the extreme temperatures with a number of schools opting to close or shut early. Official Department for Education guidance advises against closing schools and states that "schools could consider relaxing uniform rules during hot weather to make sure pupils are comfortable." The Met Office has issued a red weather warning ahead of a spell of "exceptional" hot and humid weather this week. The red alert comes into force on Wednesday and warns of temperatures rising as high as 40C in some places and is scheduled to last until 9pm on Thursday. The current temperature record is 40.3C in the UK, which was recorded in July 2022. Key Events More schools have announced they will be closed due to the red heat alert. Some schools will close at lunch time ahead of the warmer temperatures. Buckinghamshire council have announced that 42 schools will either be partially of fully closed due to the heatwave. You can find out if your child's school is shut via your local council website. Today, Tuesday 23 June, London Overground will be operating a reduced frequency service on the Mildmay line (between Richmond / Clapham Junction and Stratford). The level of service will be approximately 50 per cent less than normal. Avanti West Coast are planning to run fewer trains on some routes from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 June and there’s a risk of further disruption on the rail network. South Western Railway will run an amended timetable on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. During this time, fewer trains will be running across the network. Trains that run are expected to be busier and journey times will likely be longer than usual. One X user said he had not seen rain and lightning as intense in London for quite some time. The post read: "This storm is something else. I had a job down at Ruislip earlier and this rain and [lightning] is insane." "I've not seen anything like this in years in London. "I've not seen flash flooding this bad in Ruislip in quite a few years." Parts of the UK are in store for extreme heat on Tuesday, June 23. The Met Office has issued an "amber" level warning. As it stands, the forecaster has issued "red" level warnings for heat on Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25. The Met Office has told UK residents to keep themselves safe by following these simple steps to reduce the likelihood of the heat making them feel unwell: - Drink plenty of fluids - Keep out of the sun - Avoid any exercise between 11am-3pm when the sun is strongest - Close curtains in rooms that face the sun Additionally, if they are going out, residents should take water with them, stay in the shade, wear sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat. Hundreds of homes in Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Bristol were briefly without power due to the weather, according to the National Grid, while Bristol Airport was forced to close because of “a fault with Air Traffic Control systems”, with passengers advised to contact their airlines. Currently at least 77 homes remain without power according to the National Grid. Transport for London (TfL) have also warned customers of possible disruption to rail and tube services, adding that extreme temperatures on board services may lead to temporary speed restrictions and reduced services. Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “Customers should be aware that, given the very high temperatures that are forecast, we are likely to see some disruption to rail and Tube services – with rail temperatures likely to lead to temporary speed restrictions and therefore reduced services in some cases. “This will vary by line, with some services that share parts of the overground rail network – like the Overground and the Elizabeth line – likely to be more affected.” The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a red health warning for six regions of England – the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and east of England – from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday. This indicates “a risk to life for even the healthy population” as well as impacts beyond health and social care, with potential effects on transport systems, food, water, energy supplies and businesses. Schools have announced they will move to online learning during the heatwave. The Buckingham School in Buckinghamshire said it will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, and asked students to take part in online learning. In a statement on its website on Monday, the school said: “Because most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside, we have taken the difficult decision to close the school site on both days (Wednesday and Thursday). “All trips and other scheduled activities are also cancelled.” The school, which has around 1,200 students until sixth form, said teachers will upload work online for pupils to complete. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has provided its members with guidance ahead of the scorching temperatures. Paul Whiteman, the organisation's 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." Dorset Council says it is working with partners Alongside - formerly Julian House - and the Lantern Trust to help those sleeping rough during the hot weather. The council has urged those in need, or those who know anyone in need, to raise any concerns with its Housing Team, or to make a homeless application, by calling 01305 221000. You can also alert the outreach team at Alongside to someone sleeping rough here. The Lantern Trust can be contacted on 01305 787940. Brutal 40C temperatures have forced some schools to announce closures. Many schools have already said they will be relaxing uniform rules for children facing stifling conditions. A number of schools across Oxfordshire and Hampshire now say they'll close, with headteachers citing concerns over the safety and the comfort of pupils and staff. You can check school closures on the Gov website here. Chiltern Railways has warned people to avoid travelling on its trains during the heatwave. The railway firm said "significant disruption" to services was expected until Friday due to the extreme heat. Chiltern's Commercial & Customer Strategy Director Michael Stewart said trains would be running at "greatly reduced levels to ensure everyone's safety". It means passengers may experience "significant delays and very busy conditions". Some schools have announced plans to close early as the heatwave looms. Hampshire County Council has offered schools "general advice" on how to keep buildings and students cool. But it added that individual schools are responsible for making a decision on whether to close. South Western Ambulance Service has urged Brits to stay out of the sun and drink plenty of water when temperatures peak on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The NHS trust said it was already seeing an increase in activity across the region, having dealt with 9.5% more incidents on Sunday than usually expected for this time of year. Wayne Darch, director of operations, said: "We are receiving calls that could be managed through self-care, pharmacies, NHS 111 online or other healthcare services. "Every less urgent 999 call reduces our ability to respond quickly to patients facing life-threatening situations." Londoners are bracing for four tropical nights with temperatures staying as high as 31C at 11pm. A tropical night is defined as when temperatures do not drop below 20C, according to the Met Office. Tonight marks the last night where temperatures are forecast to stay below the "tropical night" threshold. From Tuesday onwards, Londoners will see sweltering heat every night - even well after sunset. A house in Bristol had been engulfed in flames after being hit by a lightning strike as thunderstorms hit the South West of the UK. Firefighters can be seen battling the flames with a hose in video footage showing the ferocious blaze. The arrivals board at Bristol Airport is showing multiple diversions. So far, it shows: - U2226 BFS-BRS diverting to LGW - Gatwick Airport - U22712 PMI-BRS diverting to LGW - Gatwick Airport - U22768 NCE-BRS diverting to LGW - Gatwick Airport - U22872 FAO-BRS diverting to BHX - Birmingham Airport - LS1888 CHQ-BRS diverting to BHX - Birmingham Airport - U22902 PFO-BRS diverting to LGW - Gatwick Airport - U22936 PRG-BRS diverting to LTN - Luton Airport - FR3386 LIG-BRS diverting to CWL - Cardiff Airport - FR8986 TLS-CWL diverting to CWL - Cardiff Airport Planes are currently grounded at Bristol airport as thundertorms hitthe UK There is disruption at the airport as planes are currently unable to fly, according to travel monitoring service Inrix. Passengers are advised to check before they travel following the update posted at 6.53pm. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning due to last until 9pm tonight as the forecast indicates frequent lighting strikes and heavy rain in the area. Lightning has already been seen this evening over Bristol. British households are being warned to familiarise themselves with the signs and symptoms of heatstroke as a life-threatening alert over extreme heat has been issued.According to the NHS, the following symptoms are a sign that you may be suffering from heatstroke: - a very high temperature - hot skin that’s not sweating and might look red - fast breathing or shortness of breath - a fast heartbeat - confusion and restlessness - lack of coordination - a seizure or fit - loss of consciousness If you, or someone nearby, displays any of these symptoms and remains unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool spot, being cooled down and drinking fluids, you must seek urgent medical assistance and dial 999. While waiting for help to arrive, the person suffering from heatstroke should be wrapped in a cool, damp sheet, fanned, or sponged down with cold water. A yellow thunderstorm wanring is now in place across some England regions as the Met Office has warned of frequent lightning strikes and heavy rain. The conditions will be in place until 9pm today, with 18 areas affected. Read the full story and list of regions here. This evening, temperatures will remain warm and stay in the 20s across most of the regions currently affected by the amber warning for extreme heat. Some thunderstorms might develop over England and Wales, the Met Office said, which may bring frequent lightning and even hail. As England and Wales enter an "exceptional" heatwave period, the Met Office has stated that yet another record will be broken. Following the intense heat last month, this is the first time since 1911 - 115 years ago - that two consecutive months will have observed record temperatures. Hot weather can increase energy demand, with the potential to causes power outages. It can also lead to disruption to train services as well as internet provision. Check what your rights are if the heat disrupts your day. A&E doctor Dr Ahmed has warned against some of the most obvious ways to cool down in the heatwave, saying they could actually put you at greater risk of heatstroke. Four race meetings have been called off after the Met Office issued a rare red weather warning. Wednesday’s fixtures at Kempton, Salisbury, Worcester and Ffos Las were abandoned on Monday on welfare grounds due to the likelihood of extreme heat in parts of Britain. Only the Flat meeting at Carlisle survives as the track is located outside the area worst affected by high temperatures. The UK Health Security Agency has put six regions under a country's second ever red heat-health alert from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday, with hospitals and social care facilities told to 'be prepared'. Temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, the Met Office said. Temperatures will start to ease slightly as the area of high pressure over the south of the UK moves east on Friday and through the weekend. The southeast will retain the exceptional warmth the longest. Friday is likely to see at least some rain and cloud arrive from the west for a time, particularly in the northwest, and the weekend will see a gradual transition to a more westerly influence with temperatures dropping towards the high 20s on Saturday and further on Sunday, the forecaster said. The Met Office has said that in red warning areas maximum temperatures are likely to exceed 37C, perhaps rising to 38 to 40C in some places. The heat will be accompanied by high humidity, exacerbating the potential for discomfort and health impacts, with very warm and humid night times also reducing the ability for people to recover overnight. Significant disruption to daily life is likely and the public should take every effort to make precautions and adapt their daily routines where possible to cope with these levels of heat, which up to now have been extremely rare for the UK. Hot weather is dangerous for pets because they cannot sweat like humans to cool down. As pets are unable to communicate when they are overheating or struggling with dehydration, they are at risk of suffering in extreme conditions more than most.