Last week, we told you of some extreme temperatures heading to the UK this week. At the time, predictions in the forecast spoke of 35°C temperatures in London by the end of the week, advising people to be cautious in the hot weather.
However, it’s now thought that temperatures could hit 40°C in the capital on Monday (July 18), which would break the national record temperature of 38.7°C, set in Cambridge in 2019.
⚠️⚠️🔴 Red Extreme heat warning issued 🔴⚠️⚠️
Parts of England on Monday and Tuesday
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMg9c70
Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/YHaYvaGh95
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 15, 2022
As such, the Met Office has issued its first ever level 4 weather warning for both Monday (40°C) and Tuesday (37°C), putting the UK in a state of emergency for weather. It’s also the first the UK has ever forecasted 40°C. Records are set to be broken across the whole country, with 36°C predicted in Manchester, which has never recorded a temperature above 33.7°C, back in 1976.
Forecasters have warned of “population-wide adverse health effects” that could “occur among the fit and healthy” and high-risk groups.
Speaking to the Met Office, Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “Heat-health alerts have now been issued to the majority of the country, with temperatures set to remain consistently high throughout the duration of the weekend and the start of next week.
“It is important to keep yourself hydrated and to find shade where possible when UV rays are strongest, between 11am and 3pm.
“If you have vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, make sure they are aware of how they can keep themselves protected from the warm weather.’’
On the Met Office site, it states that “Government advice is that 999 services should be used in emergencies only; seek advice from 111 if you need non-emergency health advice.”
The level 4 national emergency warning runs from Monday, July 18 at midnight until night time on Tuesday, July 19.