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UK Met Office issues red heat alert as forecast high reaches 39 °C
The UK Met Office issued a rare red heat alert on 2026-06-24. France recorded its hottest day ever while 40 people drowned and 68,000 households lost power. Italy issued warnings for 16 cities as 94 million people faced temperatures above 35 °C.
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The UK Met Office issued a rare red heat alert on 2026-06-24 as temperatures climbed across northern Europe. The agency forecast a headline maximum of 39 °C on Thursday 2026-06-25, most likely in London or the south-east of England. Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesperson, said it is possible temperatures could exceed 39 °C if final values reach the upper end of the forecast range.
The Guardian reported that at least 94 million people in Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 35 °C on 2026-06-24, most of them in France and Spain. France recorded its hottest day ever during the current heatwave. The Guardian reported that 40 people drowned across the country and 68,000 households lost electricity in northern France.
Italy issued heat warnings for 16 cities. More than 350 million people across Europe are expected to experience temperatures above 30 °C on 2026-06-24, according to AFP estimates cited by The Guardian.
