The record was broken when provisional temperatures reached 36°C in Wisley, Surrey, and Gosport, Hampshire, today (Wednesday, June 24), the Met Office said.

It follows provisional temperatures reaching 35.7°C in Charlwood, Surrey, and 35.8°C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, earlier on in the day.

Wednesday’s highs break the previous top temperature of 35.6°C in 1976 and 1957, the forecaster said.

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It comes as much of England and Wales swelters in exceptionally hot and humid conditions, which have prompted a rare red warning from the Met Office for extreme heat.

The heatwave, which has led to health warnings, school closures and transport disruption, is driven by a “heat-dome” settling over western Europe that has brought extreme conditions across the continent.

The 50-year-old record has fallen as climate change, mostly the result of burning fossil fuels, is driving increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves, which experts say the UK is not prepared for.

Figures are currently provisional and would be verified at the end of the heatwave to check if it is a new national record.

Met Office science manager Amy Doherty said: “If confirmed, a new June daily temperature record would be significant, especially following on the heels of the recent records set in May.

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“The new record provides further evidence that temperatures previously considered extreme are becoming increasingly common as a result of human-induced climate change.”

Temperatures could rise even higher on Thursday, the Met Office said.

If they hit 39°C, that would make it the second-hottest day in the UK on record and the hottest June day on record. If 38°C is recorded, that is still in the top five days ever recorded and still hotter than any day of the 20th century.

The record comes amid a sweltering heatwave, with the Met Office issuing a rare red warning for extreme heat for Wednesday and Thursday for an area from London and the south coast to Swansea, Somerset and Birmingham.

Red heat health alerts have also been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the East of England, East Midlands, London, the South East, the South West and the West Midlands, and amber heat health alerts for the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

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These alerts are in place from 4pm on Wednesday to 11pm on Friday, and mean “adverse temperatures are likely to impact on the health and well-being of the population”.

The Met Office has also issued an amber warning for heat on Friday, covering much of England, while a yellow warning for thunderstorms is in place for the South West on Thursday evening.

And with the extreme heat set to linger in some parts of the country into the weekend, the Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat covering parts of east and south-east England on Saturday.

At least 1,000 schools and nurseries will either be closed or partially closed in England and Wales over the next two days.

Some have brought in early finishing times or relaxed uniform rules, while transport services have been disrupted, and people are being urged to stay inside, close windows and curtains and stay hydrated to beat the heat.

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Night-time temperatures have also been unusually high, staying above 20°C in many places, with Brize Norton in Oxfordshire not dipping below 22.3°C and Heathrow, west London, not dipping below 22.1 °C, the Met Office said.

These “tropical nights” make it hard to sleep and for people to recover from the heat of the day, experts warned.

More than 100 schools will be at least partly closed in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. In Somerset, more than 200 schools will be shut or operating on more limited opening hours.

Children at some schools have been told they can wear a PE kit rather than a full school uniform, which can involve long trousers and blazers.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said parents should send children to school if they remain open, saying schools were taking steps to help pupils cope with the heat, and absences had a cost.

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“I know hot weather can be a struggle. But my message to families is simple: if your child’s school is open, you should keep sending them into school,” she said.

Transport bosses have urged people to avoid travelling on Wednesday and Thursday and are warning those who do to “prepare for a disrupted journey”.

Travel into central London in the past few days was down on last week as workers heeded advice to stay at home during the heatwave, while there were disruptions on a raft of rail lines.

The heatwave has prompted new calls for the Government to take more action to protect the UK from increasingly extreme heat – a feature of the changing climate – including cooling for hospitals, schools and care homes.

The Met Office said the frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased worldwide.

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Professor Stephen Belcher, Met Office chief scientist, said: “Human-induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense. To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering.

“Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.”

In Hampshire, Testwood Lakes, near Totton, Southampton, have been closed off to the public as police marine units join other emergency services in the search for a 15-year-old boy who was reported missing after last being seen swimming at 1.35pm on Wednesday.

Police marine units have joined emergency services in the search for a 15-year-old boy who was reported missing at 1.35pm on Wednesday after last being seen swimming at Testwood Lakes, near Totton, Southampton.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “We have deployed the marine units to aid in the search, alongside colleagues from NPAS, South Central Ambulance Service, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire Service.”

Pet owners and families have been urged to take extra care as a historic heatwave grips Oxfordshire under a Met Office red extreme heat warning.

The red alert, in place on Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25, covers much of England, including Oxfordshire, with forecasters warning daytime temperatures will widely exceed 30°C and could reach 36°C in some areas, alongside very warm, humid nights.

Local councils and health bodies are advising people to avoid open water such as rivers and lakes, because of cold‑water shock, hidden currents and pollution risks, and instead use supervised pools and splash parks to cool down.

Hinksey Outdoor Pool in south Oxford is one of the most popular places to take a safe dip, offering a 35m heated open‑air lido with lifeguards on duty during public sessions.

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The pool runs timed swims through the summer, with a shallow fun area for children and a deeper section for more serious swimmers, plus a poolside café, making it a well‑managed option when the mercury climbs.

Next to the lido, Hinksey’s splash area gives younger children a way to enjoy the water without entering the main pool, with jets and shallow surfaces designed for supervised play rather than swimming.

It sits within a wider park space, allowing families to combine cool‑down time with picnics and outdoor play while still staying close to lifeguarded water.

In Abingdon, Abbey Meadow outdoor pool provides another open‑air swimming option, run as a community facility beside the Thames.

The graduated L‑shaped pool is popular with families, and the surrounding meadow includes a well‑used splash pad, giving children a chance to run through fountains without going into deeper water.

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Wallingford’s Riverside Park and Pools site combines an outdoor pool with a separate splash park, again positioned next to the river but clearly fenced and signed so swimming is kept within the managed facilities.

The complex operates lifeguarded sessions and has become a regular summer destination for residents looking to cool off safely rather than enter the Thames itself.

To the north of the county, Woodstock Open Air Pool offers a 25m, four‑lane outdoor pool close to the town centre.

The seasonal pool is a short hop from Blenheim Palace and is widely used by local families and swimmers during hot weather, providing a more intimate alternative to city sites.

Cutteslowe Park in north Oxford has a dedicated splash pad, giving younger children a shallow, spray‑based way to cool down, with features designed to minimise risk and allow parents to supervise from the edge.

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The water play area sits alongside the park’s play equipment and miniature railway, making it a full day‑out option without needing to go near open water.

In Witney, The Leys recreation ground includes a splash park that operates in the summer months, with jets and low‑level features for under‑12s.

It is part of a wider leisure area with sports pitches and a play park, and is regularly highlighted in local “heatwave guides” as a safer alternative to rivers or lakes.

Edmonds Park in Didcot has been fitted with a modern splash area that is used heavily during warm spells, providing shallow water play under the eye of parents and carers.

Alongside the splash pad, the park’s open space allows families to find shade and set up blankets away from direct sun while still close to the water features.

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Back in Abingdon, the Abbey Meadows splash space sits near the outdoor pool but is run as a separate, shallower play facility, aimed at younger children and those not yet confident enough for full swimming.

It forms part of a cluster of “beat the heat” options promoted by South Oxfordshire District Council during periods of extreme weather.

For those preferring indoor swimming or a more controlled environment, leisure centres such as Didcot Wave and Henley Leisure Centre, as well as members’ clubs like David Lloyd Oxford, offer heated pools year‑round.

City authorities are reminding residents that, during the red warning, the safest way to cool down is to use these lifeguarded pools and splash areas, stay hydrated, avoid the hottest part of the day and keep clear of unsupervised rivers, lakes and quarries.

Despite this, the Education Secretary has urged parents to send children to school if they remain open, warning “every day of absence and lesson missed has a cost”.

It comes as forecasters said temperatures could hit 40°C on Wednesday and Thursday in some spots, with a red warning from the Met Office for extreme heat.

This covers an area stretching from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham, as well as in Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton.

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Hundreds of schools have made decisions to either close completely, send children home early or make other adjustments such as relaxing uniform rules to help keep students and staff safe and comfortable.

A series of fundraisers has also been launched by parents in London, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Cumbria to buy air conditioning units and fans for their children’s schools.

Bridget Phillipson said: “I know hot weather can be a struggle. But my message to families is simple: if your child’s school is open, you should keep sending them into school.

“Teachers are relaxing uniform rules, keeping classrooms cool, making sure children are hydrated, teaching critical skills like water safety, and avoiding vigorous activity on the hottest days.

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“If your child has medical needs, which mean you’re especially worried about the heat, talk to your school about what they can do.

“Every day of absence and lesson missed has a cost – and that cost falls hardest on our most disadvantaged pupils and working-class communities. So, pack a water bottle, put on the sunscreen, and trust that your child’s school has got this.”

More than 100 schools will be at least partly closed over the next days in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.

In Somerset, more than 200 schools will be shut or operating on more limited opening hours.

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Pupils will also either not be able to attend school or head home earlier than usual at settings in London, Essex, East Sussex, West Berkshire, Devon, Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Many schools have explicitly cited red weather warnings and extreme heat for the reasons behind closures, with some explaining that classrooms lack air conditioning and that travel to and from school could be risky in the high temperatures.

Parkfield School in Taunton said: “Such exceptionally high temperatures present significant challenges in maintaining a safe and comfortable learning environment, particularly during the hottest parts of the day.

“Despite exploring all available options to remain open safely, we believe that the anticipated conditions will make it increasingly difficult to ensure the well-being, comfort and safety of both pupils and staff throughout the school day.

“While every school must make decisions based on its own circumstances, we believe that closing for these two days is the most responsible course of action.”

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Many pupils are set to receive work during closure periods, while many schools have offered provision for students who cannot work at home or whose parents cannot collect them early.

One parent teacher association has raised more than £3,500 in 16 hours to buy portable air conditioning units, fans and playground gazebos for Dulwich Hamlet Junior School in south London.

The organisers said: “This is an urgent and unbudgeted expense that would have an immediate impact and improve the learning environment in the summers to come.”

Meanwhile, more than 11,500 people have signed an online petition calling for a maximum temperature at which schools can remain open to be established.

Teachers’ union NASUWT has previously also urged a legally enforceable maximum classroom temperature to be set.