Mercury set to hit 35C as drought continues

Amber alert but it could get worse as Europe gripped by heatwave

Parts of Britain could see temperatures rise to 35C (95F) as the country remains sweltering in the extreme hot weather that is gripping northern Europe.

Monday saw a high of 33.3C recorded at Santon Downham in Suffolk, but it is set to get even hotter, with temperatures expected to peak tomorrow and Friday

An amber “heat health watch” warning – put out when temperatures are predicted to hit 30C (86F) during the day and 15C (59F) at night for at least two consecutive days – has been issued for parts of England.

It comes as weather extremes including record temperatures, heatwaves and drought, are being seen across the northern hemisphere in the first half of summer, hitting health and agriculture and causing dangerous wildfires.

Experts warned climate change was “loading the dice towards extreme weather,” with rising global temperatures fuelling heatwaves.

An intense heatwave hit Japan, with record highs of 41.1C in Kumagaya and 40.8C in Oume, both near Tokyo, on Monday, as the country struggles to recover from its worst flooding and landslide disasters in decades. In Europe, a second Climate Watch advisory was issued for July 19 to August 6 covering an area from Ireland to the Baltic States and Scandinavia, with temperatures as much as 10C above average in some places in the first week.

The soaring temperatures in northern Europe are accompanied by drought and a risk of local thunderstorms, wildfires and harvest losses, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said.

An extended heatwave in Scandinavia has seen temperatures top 30C in the Arctic Circle, and Sweden reported around 50 forest fires burning in mid July.

In Ireland heatwaves were recorded at 15 weather stations, with five or more consecutive days with temperatures above 25C, and an absolute drought at all its stations, the WMO said.

The UK has seen the driest half of summer on record, with just 47mm (1.85 inches) between June 1 and July 16.

The Met Office said temperatures of 35C were forecast for tomorrow in East Anglia and London, with the potential for the mercury to climb even higher than that.

It said a respite from the heat could come by the end of the week, when thunderstorms are expected in eastern areas.

The hottest July day on record is 36.7C (98F), which was reached at Heathrow on July 1, 2015.

The Met Office said several places have had 54 consecutive dry days – the longest spell since 1969 when 70 days passed with no significant rainfall.

Weather extremes are being seen across the northern hemisphere with global warming fuelling the heatwaves