LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Multiple schools in England were shutting early Tuesday and set to remain closed for two more days with a heatwave expected to set new records in the United Kingdom (UK) as it spreads across Europe.

The UK’s meteorological office issued an extremely rare red heat warning — only issued once before — for Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures could soar to 40C, unprecedented for the time of the year.

The red “extreme heat” warning extends to parts of central and south England, including London and Birmingham, the UK’s two biggest cities.