Boiling Britain
Temperature tops 90F and today may be even hotter Gwynnie cools off in St Tropez ...where it was a mere 81F!
FOR the lucky few who managed a dip in the sea or trip to the park yesterday, the heat was truly glorious.
But for those sweltering at their desks, the hottest day of the year so far was one they’d probably rather forget.
Temperatures peaked at 90.3F (32.4C) in Northolt, north-west London, while much of the rest of the country also reached the 30s.
This beat the previous record for this year, which was set on Sunday at 89.8F (32.1C). The Met Office expects highs of 87F (31C) tomorrow in the South, but says it could reach 91.4F (33C) in some areas.
Its forecasters tweeted: ‘ This hot spell is set to be the first time for over 20 years that somewhere in the UK has reached over 30C for five consecutive days in June.’
The highest June temperature ever recorded in Britain is 96.1F (35.6C) at Southampton on June 28, 1976. A figure of 90.5F (32.5C) – marginally hotter than yesterday – was reached at Heathrow in 2015. High temperatures are forecast to stay for most regions until cooler air moves in on Friday. A heatwave alert has been issued by the Met Office for across England, lasting until 9am on Thursday.
The ‘amber’ warning is one level below a national emergency, and is issued when ‘there is a 90 per cent probability of heatwave’.
The soaring heat came as scientists warned that three- quarters of the world’s population could face killer heatwaves in a generation.
Almost a third currently suffer these extreme events for at least 20 days a year. But researchers at the University of Hawaii said this is likely to rise after studying data from 783 heatwaves.
Yesterday there were transport problems as the weather was too hot for trains to run normally. In the South-East almost 50 trains were cancelled and dozens delayed because of the risk of tracks buckling. Greater Anglia said slow speeds meant some services were cancelled, while Great Western Railway also had delays. Disruption spread to the Bristol area as the heat buckled tracks.
Network Rail said: ‘Rails in direct sunshine can be 20C hotter than air temperature. Speed restrictions are imposed as slower trains exert lower forces on the track, reducing the chance of buckling.’
Some roads in Lancashire were said to be melting, and police across Britain urged dog owners to leave pets at home. Cars were smashed open in St Ives, Cornwall, and Hornsea, East Yorkshire, to rescue overheating dogs.
Dr Angie Bone, of Public Health England, said: ‘ Hot weather can make a real impact on health. It’s important we all keep an eye on those at risk, people with underlying heart conditions, older people and younger children.’
And while the daytime temperatures may have been trying, there has been little respite at night. The mercury hit 75F (24C) at midnight on Sunday at London City Airport – hotter than Istanbul where it was 70F (21C) in the day.