The UK is bracing for temperatures of up to 37C this week after the Met Office issued an amber extreme heat warning for Monday and Tuesday. The alert covers London, the southeast, southwest, Midlands, east of England, and parts of Wales.
Heat warning details and impacts
The Met Office stated: 'Impacts to people and infrastructure are possible and water safety is a particular concern.' The warning currently runs through Monday and Tuesday, with updates as confidence in the duration of the heat increases. High UV levels are also anticipated.
London and the southeast will bear the brunt of the hot weather, with temperatures rising to 37C on Tuesday and Wednesday. Parts of the UK, including the capital, are expected to see temperatures exceed 30C for up to a week, and overnight temperatures are set to top 20C.
Record-breaking potential
The Met Office said it has 'growing confidence' that next week's heatwave will surpass the current highest temperature on record for June – 35.6C, recorded in Southampton in 1976. Climate change is causing heatwaves to become more common in Britain.
Water safety is a particular concern after more than a dozen teenagers died in a heatwave last month. Already this year, the late May Bank Holiday brought two consecutive days of unprecedented heat for the time of year.
European heatwave
Mainland Europe is facing similar conditions. In France, temperatures could reach up to 42C, prompting alcohol bans at state-run events in 35 of its 101 departments – including Paris – to prevent deaths from dehydration. Events for the country's annual Fete De La Musique, scheduled for Sunday, have been called off because of the searing heat.
