Wednesday 24 June starts with the most serious heat setup of the week for many UK drivers. The Met Office says London and the South East will be humid and exceptionally hot today, with a maximum temperature of 37C, while the UK forecast says it will be very hot and humid across much of England and Wales after another very warm and muggy night. The wider warning picture matters as well: the Met Office has a Red Extreme Heat Warning in force for Wednesday and Thursday. That makes this a good morning for simple car prep before the hottest, stickiest part of the day arrives.
Extreme heat turns ordinary journeys into more tiring ones
The road may be dry and the sky bright, but very hot weather changes how an ordinary school run, commute or delivery trip feels. Cabin temperatures rise quickly after parking, seatbelts and steering wheels feel hotter to handle, and stop-start traffic becomes more draining when the air is already humid before breakfast. A short check before leaving home is often enough to remove the most annoying problems before they turn into distractions later on.
Start with the basic safety checks GOV.UK expects every driver to make
GOV.UK says you are responsible for making sure your vehicle is safe to drive. It specifically highlights clean windscreens, windows and mirrors, working lights and brakes, and keeping an eye on tyres and washer fluid. On a morning like this, those basics matter even more because strong sunshine makes dirty glass more obvious and heat makes every delay feel longer.
- Clean the windscreen, mirrors and side windows so bright glare does not exaggerate smears.
- Top up screenwash if the bottle is low, because dust and bugs show up quickly in strong sun.
- Check tyre condition and pressure if the car is carrying extra luggage, children or summer gear.
- Place water, sunglasses, a phone cable, a power bank and any essential medication inside the cabin.
- Move loose bottles, charging leads and shopping bags away from the driver footwell and front seats.
- Check fuel or battery range before leaving, especially if congestion or diversions could make the trip longer.
Do not skip the route check just because the weather looks clear
National Highways says planned full closures on England's motorways and major A roads are listed by start date, and that early-morning journeys may still be affected by closures that began the evening before. That reminder is useful today because clear skies can make routine trips feel deceptively easy. If you are heading to work, school, a station or an airport, spend one minute checking the route before you commit to the usual road.
Keep the useful kit inside the cabin, not buried under everything in the boot
The items you may want first should stay where they can actually be reached. Water, a charging cable, a power bank and any medication are more useful when they are inside the passenger area rather than under shopping, pushchairs or holiday bags. The same rule applies to an escape tool. A compact window breaker and seatbelt cutter should stay inside the cabin, not packed away where it becomes difficult to reach in a hurry.
If one car handles most weekday driving, a single tool close to hand is a tidy option. If you want one near the driver and another in a second car or nearer rear passengers, a two-pack is the more practical setup.
Recommended JUFO tools for today's extreme-heat journeys
Keep the tool inside the cabin so it stays reachable if heat, traffic or a diversion changes the plan.
JUFO 2 Pack Car Window Breaker and Seatbelt Cutter
Best for keeping one tool near the driver and another in a second car or closer to family passengers.
From GBP 16.99
JUFO 2-in-1 Car Window Breaker and Seatbelt Cutter
A compact single-car option to keep close to hand for commuting, school runs and everyday local driving.
From GBP 8.95
Use this morning to get ahead of the hottest part of the day
The Met Office says temperatures are expected to peak later today, with Thursday also likely to remain very hot before conditions ease later in the week. That means the easiest wins still happen early: clear the glass, place useful kit within reach, charge the phone, carry water and leave the car ready before the cabin becomes uncomfortable. Small checks done now are much easier than trying to solve them when the interior is already overheated and the road is busier.
Sources: Met Office London and South East forecast updated 03:00 BST on 24 June 2026; Met Office UK forecast updated 03:00 BST on 24 June 2026; Met Office Red Extreme Heat Warning update published 22 June 2026; National Highways daily closure report last updated 23 June 2026; GOV.UK vehicle safety checks.
