A brutal heatwave is descending on the UK this week as a “heat dome” continues to scorch Europe.
Authorities have issued severe heat warnings across the continent, including Spain, Germany and Italy, whilst France is set to endure temperatures of up to 43°C, according to the country’s meteorology agency.
The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for parts of England on Wednesday and Thursday, when the UK heatwave is set to hit a peak.
There have already been numerous heat-related deaths in France and Germany, and public transportation networks across Europe, including the London Underground, have been severely affected.
On the basis of previous heatwaves, this could get worse as the extreme heat intensifies.
Temperature map for Wednesday 4pm. Areas around London, southern Wales and the Midlands are set to suffer from the worst of the heat (Photo: Met Office)London is set to reach 36°C, but is spared the sweltering temperatures of other cities around Europe, with Paris forecast to reach 40°C, Bordeaux 42°C and Madrid 38°C.
The heatwave could yet surpass previous UK June records, with areas near Salisbury and Southampton forecast to hit 38°C.
The highest-ever temperature recorded in June was 35.6°C in Southampton in 1976.
With both the UK and Europe sweltering, it is reminiscent of the July 2022 heatwave, which saw Europe blasted by high temperatures and the UK reach its highest-ever recorded temperature of 40.3°C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
Why this heatwave could be particularly bad
The humidity during this heatwave will also make it more dangerous and feel even hotter.
The Met Office previously told The i Paper that the humidity in this heatwave “will be significantly higher than what we observed during the heatwave in July 2022”.
Speaking to The i Paper on Monday Professor Hannah Cloke, a climate expert at the University of Reading, said: “When humidity is high, sweat cannot evaporate as effectively, so the body struggles to regulate its temperature even if the air temperature itself is not at its peak.”
The additional pressure put on the body during a humid heat event in turn increases the likelihood of a health event or even death.
Chaos across the continent
The heatwave has already proved fatal for some.
Two children aged two and four were found dead in their family car in the town of Carpentras in the south of France on Monday. French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said that 40 people have drowned in heatwave-related deaths in France since last Thursday.
It has also wreaked havoc on infrastructure around Europe as public services struggle to cope with the heat.
Tube lines in London were forced to reduce or suspend services due to the heat and flooding caused by a thunderstorm early on Tuesday morning. Peak-hour trains in Belgium were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday due to the heat.
The UK is yet to be hit by the worst temperatures, but the 2022 heatwave, which saw rail lines buckle and hospitals forced to close, could serve as a warning for the future.
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the National Heat Risk Commission, told The i Paper last week that the UK needs to start taking measures to tackle the problems caused by heat.
“We don’t need to wait for 40°C heat,” she said. “We need to take it seriously now, and every decision we’re making around building new homes, or schools, or hospitals, or when we’re retrofitting them, should be thinking very carefully about cooling options.”
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