The British Met Office issued its first extreme heat red warning for parts of England on Monday and Tuesday, with temperatures expected to hit record highs, triggering a national emergency alert level.
A heat wave has hit much of Europe, raising temperatures to around 40 degrees Celsius (°C) in some areas on Thursday as wildfires spread across Portugal, Spain, France and Croatia.
The highest temperature ever recorded in England was 38.7 degrees Celsius at the University of Cambridge Botanic Gardens on 25 July 2019. Temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius will be recorded for the first time in the UK, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
“Exceptional, possibly record-breaking temperatures are expected early next week,” Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gunderson said, adding a 50% chance of temperatures above 40°C and an 80% chance of new highs hitting.
“Nights are expected to be exceptionally warm, especially in urban areas,” he said in a statement. “This could lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure.”
In parallel, the UK Health Safety Agency has raised the heat health alert to level 4 in England next week, when a heat wave is so severe or long-lasting that the effects are beyond the health system and social support.
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