The Met Office has identified 50 areas across the UK that could experience temperatures of up to 40°C on Wednesday and Thursday. The agency has issued red weather warnings for extreme heat, affecting parts of southern England, the South East, and Wales.
Red Warning for Extreme Heat
The Met Office warns that these areas are "increasingly likely to see a two to three day period where maximum temperatures in the shade exceed 37 Celsius, perhaps rising to 38 to 40 Celsius in some places." The red warnings indicate a high risk of illness and danger to life, even for healthy individuals.
Full List of Affected Areas
The following 50 areas are included in the warning:
East Midlands
- Northamptonshire
East of England
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Thurrock
London & South East England
- Bracknell Forest
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Kent
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Reading
- Slough
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
South West England
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bristol
- Dorset
- Gloucestershire
- North Somerset
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
- Herefordshire
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands Conurbation
- Worcestershire
Impact and Precautions
The Met Office has also issued a separate warning about potential 24-hour power cuts affecting 90 areas from Wednesday. The extreme heat is expected to disrupt travel, health services, and daily life. People are advised to stay hydrated, avoid the sun during peak hours, and check on vulnerable neighbors.
