Households across the UK are being urged to consider sleeping in their front rooms or on the ground floor on Thursday night as an exceptional heatwave continues to grip much of England and Wales.
The advice comes as the Met Office‘s Red Extreme Heat Warning remains in force until late Thursday, with forecasters warning of “significant impacts” from both record-breaking daytime temperatures and unusually warm nights.
Temperatures are expected to climb to around 38°C, making this one of the hottest June heatwaves ever recorded. The Met Office has warned that the long-standing UK June temperature record of 35.6°C, set in 1976 and 1957, is very likely to be broken.
But experts say one of the biggest challenges will come after sunset.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Matthew Lehnert said the combination of extreme daytime heat, high humidity and overnight temperatures remaining above 20°C across large parts of England and Wales would make conditions particularly dangerous.
“This is exceptional heat for June with temperature records expected to be broken this week,” he said. “High humidity is an additional factor for this heatwave which will mean the heat will feel much more potent for many. When you couple all of this with the high overnight temperatures… these combined impacts all increase the potential for significant impacts.”
Because heat naturally rises, upstairs bedrooms often remain far warmer than ground-floor rooms long after the sun has set. As a result, households with more than one floor are being encouraged to spend the night downstairs, where temperatures are generally cooler.
The Met Office also advises people to spend as much time as possible in the coolest room of their home, keeping curtains and windows closed during the hottest part of the day before opening windows overnight once outdoor temperatures begin to fall.
Health officials have warned that the heat could affect everyone—not just the elderly or those with existing health conditions. The UK Health Security Agency has issued Heat Health Alerts, with officials saying the Red alert indicates a risk to life even for healthy people if sensible precautions are not taken.
People are being urged to drink plenty of water, avoid direct sunshine between 11am and 3pm, and check on elderly relatives, neighbours and anyone with underlying health conditions. Keeping homes cool, wearing lightweight clothing and avoiding strenuous activity during the hottest hours can also reduce the risk of heat-related illness.
While Thursday is expected to bring the peak of the heat for many areas, eastern parts of England could continue to experience extreme temperatures into Friday and Saturday under extended Amber warnings before cooler Atlantic air arrives next week.
For many households struggling to sleep, simply swapping an upstairs bedroom for a downstairs front room could provide a noticeably cooler night’s rest as Britain endures one of its most intense June heatwaves on record.