Britain is preparing on Saturday for a potentially life-threatening heat wave, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time early next week.
UK ministers are holding an emergency Cobra meeting, chaired by the Cabinet Office minister Kit Malthouse, this afternoon to discuss the heatwave, while the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has increased its heat health warning to level four, a “national emergency”.
On Friday, the Met Office issued the most severe warning it has for heat, putting parts of England under a red alert for Monday and Tuesday. It was the first time that the warning had been applied to extreme heat, said Alex Deakin, a meteorologist with the Met.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, the UKSHA’s top scientist, Prof Isabel Oliver, said everybody could be affected by such high temperatures, reports The Guardian.
“Last year we didn’t reach temperatures anywhere near the ones that are predicted for next week, [and] we saw over 1,600 excess deaths associated with the period of the heatwave. So this is why we are keen that everybody knows what they can do to stay safe,” she said.
Extreme heatwave engulfs Europe
The culprit in this extreme weather event is high pressure near the southern half of the UK. It has been responsible for this week’s warm weather and continues to dominate bringing largely dry and clear weather.
However, during the weekend, a developing southerly flow will allow very high temperatures currently building over the continent to begin spreading northwards into the UK.
Southwest Europe entered a sixth day of a summer heatwave on Saturday that has triggered devastating forest fires as parts of the continent braced for new temperature records early next week.
Meteo France said temperatures will range between 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and 40C in the south of France on Saturday, with new heat records expected on Monday.
