A rare Met Office Red Extreme Heat Warning now covers Cheltenham, with temperatures set to shatter the UK June record and reach between 38°C and 40°C on Wednesday and Thursday. The warning runs from 9am on 24 June to 9pm on 25 June, carrying a direct risk to life and the likelihood of widespread disruption across the town.
Temperatures in the shade will top 37°C, and humidity will feel more oppressive than during the record-breaking heat of July 2022. Dew points around 22°C mean the air will stay heavy round the clock, with nights holding above 20°C—classified as Tropical Nights—offering no cool-down before the next day’s peak. Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said the Met Office reserves red warnings for the most severe events, and the current June high of 35.6°C, set in Southampton in 1976 and Camden Square in 1957, is “very likely” to fall.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued a matching Red Heat Health Alert for the South West from 1am on 24 June until 11pm on 25 June, flagging health impacts that can affect people well beyond those normally considered vulnerable. Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, urged health and social care services to prepare and advised residents to adjust routines to the conditions. The Met Office Chief Scientist, Professor Stephen Belcher, underlined that human-induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense.
Friday will bring some relief as highs drop to about 32°C, with the weekend dipping further into the high 20s, but the intense two-day spike is expected to strain power, water, and transport networks. The RNLI’s National Water Safety Partner, Samantha Hughes, warned that more people will seek out coastal spots, lakes, and rivers, raising the risk of water safety incidents in the heat.
This is only the second official heatwave of 2026, and forecasters say the exceptional temperatures together with high humidity will challenge infrastructure and public health in a way rarely seen in the UK. Residents are being asked to take precautions and check on older neighbours and those living alone while the warning is in force.
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