UK ‘to be hotter than Barbados’ with temperatures set to hit a record-breaking 34C

The UK could see one of the hottest June days on record today, with temperatures reaching a scorching 34C.

Since 1960, UK temperatures in June have surpassed 34C in only three years, with the hottest being 35.6C, recorded on 28 June 1976.

It will be the fourth day of a heatwave for much of England, which is forecast to be hotter than holiday spots in Barbados, Jamaica and Mexico.

Wimbledon is set for its hottest ever opening day, with temperatures expected to beat the previous record of 29.3C set on 25 June 2001. The hottest day of the tournament was seen on 1 July 2015, when temperatures reached 35.7C.

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It could also be a tropical night, with parts of England staying above 20C overnight into Tuesday, the Met Office said.

On Tuesday parts of southeast England could hit 35C, though Scotland and Northern Ireland face heavy rain and cooler temperatures.

An amber heat health alert came into force on Friday – the second in two weeks.

The alert, which covers London, the East Midlands, the South East, and the East of England, lasts until 6pm on Tuesday.

The UK Health Security Agency also issued a yellow alert for Yorkshire and the Humber and the West Midlands for the same period – warning of significant impacts on health and social care services.

An amber alert was previously issued for all regions in England on 19 June, the first time it had been used since September 2023.

An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature between 25-28C for three consecutive days. The threshold varies across the UK.

London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Thomas Goodall said London “is already facing its second heatwave of the year” and warned “high temperatures and low rainfall in recent months means the current risk of wildfires is severe”.

He said firefighters have responded to around 14 wildfires in the capital so far this year and said it is “important everyone acts responsibly to prevent fires from occurring”.

“As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly,” he said. “In London, this can be dangerous because so many of our green spaces lie close to homes and other properties.”

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It comes after major heatwaves across southern Europe left Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece in sweltering conditions of more than 40C over the weekend.

Temperatures were well above average in parts of southern Spain, with 46.8C recorded in Tresviso.

Two-thirds of Portugal was on high alert for extreme heat and wildfires, while several Italian regions banned outdoor work during peak hours of sun on Sunday.

The Italian health ministry also placed 21 out of 27 monitored cities under its highest heat alert, including top tourist spots Rome, Milan and Naples.

Greece was on high wildfire alert because of the extreme weather, after a large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, which was fanned by strong winds and damaged several houses.