Ditch the duvet, it’ll hit 30C at NIGHT! And it could be hotter than the Sahara by day…as Ministers tell schools they must stay open despite heatwave
- During the day the 40C temperatures will be hotter than in the Sahara Desert
- The Met Office has issued the UK’s first ever red weather warning for heat
- The Cabinet Office has met after fears about the NHS’s capacity and wild fires
Britain is set to experience its highest-ever night-time temperature tomorrow with highs of 30C (86F).
And in the day, ‘Furnace Britain’ will be hotter than Delhi and the Sahara Desert with experts predicting the mercury could reach 41C – double the UK summer average.
Yesterday, Ministers held a Cobra meeting to discuss the health effects of the heatwave after a national emergency was declared – but warned schools not to close.
It is the UK’s first red extreme heat warning as temperatures soar towards 40C for the first time on record. Meteorologists have given an 80 per cent chance of the mercury topping the UK’s record of 38.7C, set in Cambridge in 2019.
Meteorologists have given an 80 per cent chance of the mercury topping the UK’s record of 38.7C, set in Cambridge in 2019
Meteorologists have warned there is a 50 per cent chance of temperatures reaching 40C or above on Tuesday, most likely along the A1 corridor
Health Secretary Steve Barclay urged the public to look out for vulnerable relatives and neighbours during the coming heat
Crowds take advantage of the hot weather during the annual International Busking Day event at Wembley Park, London
A young girl enjoys the sun at Margate Beach on Saturday July 16. A level three health alert has already been issued, rising to a level four in some areas by Monday
There are fears thousands could die and the health service has put on extra ambulance capacity and more 111 call handlers.
Brighton rocks… as Britain hits the beach
THERE was barely enough space to put down a bathing towel on Brighton beach yesterday as around 300,000 people descended on the South Coast resort to enjoy the sunshine.
A further 200,000 headed to Bournemouth, 150,000 to Blackpool and 150,000 to Great Yarmouth as the temperature soared to 29C.
Families were expected to spend £4 billion this weekend visiting beaches, shops and pubs before the heat becomes too unbearable to head out next week. The ‘beat the heat’ spree has seen sales of paddling pools soar tenfold, according to Asda, while Sainsbury’s said it has sold 19 times as many fans as usual.
Many ventured into the back garden for a BBQ, with Asda saying it had sold 4.5 million sausages and 1.4 million burgers last week.
Aldi predicts it will have sold 2.5 million burgers by the end of the weekend and all the supermarkets said they had seen a spike in demand for ice cream. Suncream sales have also tripled while shoppers are stocking up on aloe vera gel for sunburn, said Holland & Barrett.
Domestic tourism spending on daytrips and staycations this weekend is expected to top £1.5 billion, VisitEngland data trends show. Families have been dashing to stock up fridges to avoid the worst of the heat tomorrow and Tuesday. Spending trends data suggested households will spend £2 billion in supermarkets over the weekend.
Met Office Chief Executive Penny Endersby said: ‘Here in the UK we’re used to treating a hot spell as a chance to go and play in the sun. This is not that sort of weather.’
Health Secretary Steve Barclay urged the public to look out for vulnerable relatives and neighbours and urged people to take ‘sensible steps in terms of water, shade and cover’.
After chairing the Cobra meeting, Cabinet Office Minister Kit Malthouse warned there would be significant disruption to transport at the start of the week and urged people not to travel unnecessarily.
He said: ‘The heat will affect rails, for example, so the trains have to run slower. There may be fewer services. People need to be on their guard for disruption.
‘If they don’t have to travel, this may be a moment to work from home.’
Research last week showed that people were attempting to make the most of the air-conditioning at work with offices running at 42 per cent capacity, the highest level since March 2020.
Some schools have started the summer holidays early as a result of the heat but contrary to the suggestion by teaching unions that some schools will need to shut, Government sources told The Mail on Sunday that the ‘consensus’ at yesterday’s Cobra meeting was that youngsters would be at risk if left unsupervised at home.
Meteorologists have warned there is a 50 per cent chance of temperatures reaching 40C or above on Tuesday, most likely along the A1 corridor, which runs from London to Scotland through counties including Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
That would make the UK hotter than the 35C expected in Tamanrasset in the Sahara, and 37C in New Delhi, India. A steamy 30C – 15C above average – is due at 1am tomorrow night in London. The current record night-time temperature was 23.9C, set in August 1990 in Brighton.
Fire brigades have warned the public to be careful when throwing away disposable BBQs or charcoal and cigarettes, and not to burn garden waste.
Western Europe continues to see record temperatures with wildfires in western France and Spain.
France’s heatwave is expected to peak on Monday, with temperatures climbing above 40C (104F).
In Spain, health ministers say unusually high temperatures of 45C have resulted in 360 heat-related deaths.
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