Britain’s Met Office issued its first sweltering heat alert for parts of England on Monday and Tuesday as temperatures are expected to reach record highs, triggering a national emergency alert level.
Large parts of Europe are experiencing a heat wave that has pushed temperatures to around 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, with wildfires affecting Portugal, Spain, France and Croatia on Thursday.
The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK was 38.7°C at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens on 25 July 2019. The Met Office said it was now forecasting temperatures of 40°C for the first time in the UK.
“Extraordinary and possibly record-breaking temperatures are expected early next week,” Met Office Met Chief Paul Gundersen said, predicting that temperatures will be affected by 50% above 40 degrees Celsius and 80% for a new maximum.
“The nights are expected to be exceptionally hot, especially in urban areas,” he said in a statement. “This is likely to have widespread impacts on people and infrastructure.”
In parallel, the UK’s Health Safety Agency has raised the heat health alert level to level 4 in England next week, which is used when a heat wave is so severe or prolonged that its effects extend well beyond the health care and social assistance system.
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