UK amber extreme heat warning extended after thunderstorms

The Met Office has extended an amber extreme heat warning for the East and South East of England until 9am on Sunday, June 28, as the country cools after a record June heatwave and a run of thunderstorms.

Temperatures in the east are expected to ease to around 25C to 26C, with fresher Atlantic air spreading across much of the UK. The Met Office said the east of England would stay very warm for longer than most other parts of the country.

The warning extension comes at the end of several days of severe heat that produced a new June temperature record of 37.3C in Santon Downham, Suffolk. Earlier coverage of the heatwave reported high humidity, public-health concerns and other disruption linked to the extreme temperatures.

Heatwave to storms

The weather shift has been abrupt. After the hottest weather, thunderstorms moved across southern England and brought a new round of disruption to travel and property.

On Saturday, June 27, thunderstorms affected flight operations at Heathrow, Gatwick and other airports. The Guardian reported that more than 600 flights were delayed or cancelled, while The Times said there were nearly 120 cancellations and about 900 delays across UK airports.

Lightning also raised safety concerns on the ground. Fires were reported at homes in Kent and East Sussex after strikes, adding to the risks during the transition from extreme heat to stormier conditions.

Why the amber warning stayed in place

Amber warnings are issued when weather is expected to affect health, transport and infrastructure, not because of temperature alone. In this case, the remaining concern is the mix of lingering heat, rapid weather change and the impact on vulnerable people, travellers and local emergency services.

The Met Office warning covers eastern and southeastern England, where conditions are expected to remain warmer for longer than elsewhere. That longer warm spell matters because the health risks are highest for older people and other vulnerable groups during a hot-to-cool transition.

The broader heatwave has already prompted major public-facing disruption across the UK, including impacts on schools, travel and some homes. The latest extension keeps that risk in view while the weather pattern changes.

What happened first

The warning sits inside a wider late-June heatwave that had been building for days before the thunderstorms arrived.

The Met Office first issued an amber extreme heat warning for parts of southern England and southeast Wales on June 19. National coverage then reported record-breaking conditions on June 24, including the new June temperature benchmark in Suffolk.

By June 27, the focus had shifted to thunderstorms and travel disruption. The warning extension reported later that day showed the heat risk had not ended cleanly, even as cooler air began to spread in from the Atlantic.

What to watch next

The immediate next milestone is 9am Sunday, June 28, when the amber warning is due to end unless the Met Office updates it again.

Further local thunderstorm warnings or flood alerts could still follow as the weather changes. Travellers will also be watching for recovery at airports after the delays and cancellations, while emergency services and fire crews may continue to assess any storm-related damage.

Health authorities will be looking for any continued impact on older people and other vulnerable groups as conditions cool after an unusually intense spell of June heat.