Red extreme heat warning issued for parts of southern England and Wales

A red extreme heat warning has been issued for parts of southern England and Wales, where temperatures are expected to reach between 38C and 40C, the Lancashire Resilience Forum said on 24 June 2025. Lancashire is among the areas covered by a separate amber extreme heat warning, in force from midnight on Wednesday 24 June until 11pm on Thursday¹.

Forecasters say very hot weather will continue across much of England and Wales until at least Thursday, with daytime temperatures widely expected to exceed 30C and the hottest areas potentially peaking around 38C to 40C within the red warning area. Overnight temperatures are unlikely to fall much lower than the high teens Celsius, and some places will not fall below the low 20s Celsius, accompanied by high humidity¹.

The Met Office has warned the heat could have significant impacts across the country, including serious health risks, disruption to travel networks and increased pressure on essential services. Officials say population-wide health effects are likely, not just among vulnerable groups, with the potential for serious illness or danger to life. There are also concerns over possible failures of heat-sensitive infrastructure, including power, water, gas and mobile phone services¹.

Road users and rail passengers are being warned to expect potential delays and cancellations. Emergency services are also concerned about an increased risk of water-related incidents as more people head to beaches, rivers and lakes to cool down¹.

The source does not list every area covered by either warning, and the full list of red warning areas has not been reported¹.

Why it matters for households

The amber warning covers Lancashire from midnight on Wednesday 24 June until 11pm on Thursday, and very hot weather is forecast across much of England and Wales until at least Thursday. The Met Office warns of population-wide health effects, not only among vulnerable groups, and of possible failures of power, water, gas and mobile phone services. Travel disruption, including delays and cancellations on roads and rail, is also expected¹. The heat-health alerts guide explains what the yellow, amber and red levels mean.

Residents are being urged to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day and check on elderly relatives, neighbours and anyone with underlying health conditions. Anyone feeling unwell because of the heat, or concerned about somebody else, is advised to contact NHS 111¹. The heatwaves and drought hub collects the site's guidance on hot weather.

What happens next

The amber warning runs until 11pm on Thursday 25 June. Forecasters say very hot weather will continue until at least Thursday, with some variation from place to place and day by day¹. No further warning updates have been reported. Households can find out how to receive alerts in the guide to signing up for heat-health alerts.