Oxford News
How to stay cool in the record-breaking heat in city centre
It was a record-breaking day for hot weather – Tuesday’s provisional maximum temperature of 34.3C matched the June record at Oxford’s Radcliffe Meteorological Station, first set on June 27, 1976.
Shoppers, tourists, students and office workers tried their best to stay cool but it wasn’t always easy to find some shade.
READ MORE: Red extreme heat warning extended to Friday
Yukino Ashida, from Japan, who is studying business at Oxford University’s Green Templeton College, said more people should try using umbrellas during a heatwave.
She added: “I’ve got my own shade – it’s definitely a good idea to use an umbrella in the heat when we are facing global warming.”
There was some respite from the sun’s rays in the Covered Market, where Graham MacDonald, who runs iScream gelateria, was having a busy afternoon.
His staff including Ozzy and Molly were kept busy serving many different flavours of gelato to customers.
“We are very busy in the afternoons serving customers – there’s a good mixture of tourists, students, regulars and passers-by,” Mr MacDonald added.
Busker Richard Christian Shama – known as Rich – stayed cool by taking his top off as he serenaded shoppers with a version of The Who’s Pinball Wizard.
And charity workers Minal Jade and Rasul Sangha from Birmingham, working for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said they were finding it difficult to stay cool.
“Staff from TG Jones gave us some water, and a woman came up and handed over some ice creams,” said Minal.
“We’re here in the heat from 9am to 7pm asking for donations – we take a 15-minute break every 30 minutes.”
German tourist Stephan and his friends got some cold beers in at The Plough in Cornmarket, saying it was “very hot”.
The Met Office has extended the red extreme heat warning to tomorrow (Friday, June 26), as temperatures are set to remain high across Oxfordshire.
The record-breaking June heat is expected to continue into Friday according to the forecaster, as temperatures remain at 34C.
This comes as the UK’s recorded its hottest June day record was broken for a third time, with highs of 36C in Surrey and Hampshire, surpassing the 1976 35C record.
The breaking of the 50-year record came as the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for the county and other parts of the south east of England from 9am on Wednesday, June 24, now extended until 9pm on Friday, June 26.
If temperatures reach 39C, that would make it the second hottest day in the UK on record.
If 38C is recorded, that is still in the top five days ever recorded and hotter than any day of the 20th century.
The heatwave has closed more than 100 schools across the county over the last few days, and disrupted rail services, particularly between London Paddington and Reading.
The UK’s Met Office has revealed the storm names for 2026/27, selected from more than 40,000 public suggestions.
The scheme is run in partnership with Met Eireann in Ireland and KNMI in the Netherlands, and the list starts each year in September to reflect the beginning of the autumn storm season.
This storm season includes names such as Austen, Boelo and Chloe and each has a story behind its nomination.
Staying safe during a thunderstorm
Names were submitted in honour of children, pets and even characters like Shaun the Sheep, as well as in memory of loved ones and meteorological trailblazers.
Under naming conventions used for storms in the North Atlantic, the list runs alphabetically, missing out Q, U, X, Y and Z.
Chloe, the third name on the list this year, was nominated more than 120 times.
One suggestion came from the mother of a five-year-old described as being “fascinated by the weather” who can also “create a storm by herself” when tired.
Other names have similarly personal backstories.
Finn was put forward for a two-year-old described as “wild and a force to be reckoned with”, while Ivy was nominated in honour of a nine-month-old Labrador puppy affectionately called “the absolute destructor”.
Nicola was suggested as a tribute to a mother who has “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger”.
Some names reflect a wider cultural reach.
Shaun, selected following a public vote, was included as part of a collaboration with Aardman, the studio behind Wallace and Gromit, to help raise awareness of storm preparedness.
Scattered showers moving eastwards this afternoon, some heavy and perhaps thundery ☔
Turning drier and fresher in the west, with sunny spells ⛅
Cloud and rain returning to the northwest later 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/0s2Je7rraP
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 31, 2026
The list also honours figures in meteorological history.
Met Eireann chose Austen in tribute to Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service as it marks its 90th anniversary.
Evelyn was selected in honour of Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present weather forecasts on Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE.
Why are storms named?
The scheme began in 2015 and aims to improve public awareness and response in the face of severe weather.
Last year, four names were used from the list, reaching Storm Dave in April.
The UK was also affected by three additional storms named by other European meteorological services: Benjamin, Claudia and Goretti.
The Met Office said names are reviewed for pronunciation, potential meanings across different languages, connections to public figures and any risk of controversy.
When is a storm named?
A storm is named when it’s expected to cause medium or high impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands.
Wind is the primary consideration, but significant effects from rain or snow are also taken into account.
Met Office confirms storm names for 2026/27
This year’s names, and the country they came from, are:
- Austen (Ireland)
- Boelo (pronounced Boo-loh) (Netherlands)
- Chloe (UK)
- Dano (pronounced Dah-noh) (Netherlands)
- Evelyn (Ireland)
- Finn (UK)
- Gwendolyn (Netherlands)
- Heather (Ireland)
- Ivy (UK)
- Jade (Netherlands)
- Kilian (Ireland)
- Laoise (pronounced Lee-sha) (Ireland)
- Miriam (Ireland)
- Nicola (UK)
- Olaf (Netherlands)
- Phelim (Fay-lim) (Ireland)
- Ruban (UK)
- Shaun (UK)
- Theo (UK)
- Vesna (Vehs-nuh) (Netherlands)
- Wende (Vhen-duh) (Netherlands)
Holly Clements, Met Office head of warnings and guidance, said: “For more than a decade, storm naming has helped us communicate the risks from severe weather more effectively.
“A named storm provides a clear focus for forecasts and warnings, helping more people understand the potential impacts and take action to protect themselves, their families and their property.”
Recommended reading:
Eoin Sherlock, Met Eireann head of forecasting division, said: “We know that naming storms makes it easier for people to track important and up-to-date forecast and safety-related information as we can see from the levels of traffic and activity through our website and across social media platforms during storm events.
“2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Irish Meteorological Service and we are proud to be able to recognise some of the significant contributors to our history in the list of storm names this year.”
Which names would you add to the list of storm names? Let us know in the comments below.
Charlie Matthews appeared at Oxford Crown Court on August 27.
The 25-year-old is charged with two counts of rape.
The allegations are said to have taken place in Oxford in April and October 2021.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire data centres call to ‘pause’ expansion
The complainant for both counts is the same woman.
Matthews, of Langney Road, Eastbourne, pleaded not guilty to both counts.
A trial date, with a time estimate of four to five days, was set for August 21, 2028.
Judge Ian Pringle KC said that this is some seven years after the offences are alleged to have taken place.
The judge said: “Unfortunately, that’s the situation.”
Matthews was released on bail, with the condition not to contact the complainant.
Islandfarm Viscount is a 13-year-old gelding from Island Farm Donkey Sanctuary in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell near Wallingford.
He took the top title at the 2026 Donkey Breed Society National Championship Show, held on August 22 at Pickering Grange Equestrian Centre in Coalville.
He is the offspring of East Lodge Bryony, a donkey left to the sanctuary by the late Alex and Sue Horn.
Mr Horn was a respected figure in donkey showing and won numerous awards during his lifetime.
Viscount has built an impressive record of his own, with championship wins at the Mid Somerset Show and the New Forest and Hampshire Show.
He was named Reserve Champion at the Ellingham and Ringwood Show, placing just behind stablemate Perehill Magical Moments.
Both donkeys qualified for the national finals, where Viscount claimed the Senior Gelding Class and went on to be named British Champion Gelding for the fifth year in a row.
He then competed against other class winners and took home the Supreme Champion title and trophy.
Perehill Magical Moments earned her place at the finals after wins at the Heckinton Show and Ellingham and Ringwood.
At the national event, she won the Senior Mare class and was named Reserve Mare Champion.
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