UK heatwave: Amber warning in place as UK has hottest day of the year
An amber warning for extreme heat has begun for England and parts of Wales as the UK braces for record temperatures.
The Met Office warning extends to southern Scotland on Monday and Tuesday, when England’s alert rises to red for the first time.
On Sunday, temperatures exceeded 30C (86F) across England and Wales, with a high of 33C in Flintshire making it the UK’s hottest day of the year.
The heat could hit 41C on Monday, which would be a record for the UK.
The current temperature record of 38.7C was set in Cambridge in 2019.
On Sunday, Hawarden in Flintshire recorded 33C – making it Wales’s hottest day of the year so far, and the hottest for the UK overall.
The highest temperature in England was 31.2C, which was reached in Nantwich, Cheshire, and also in Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Temperatures were above 30C across large parts of the rest of England.
Northern Ireland also had its hottest day of the year so far, with 27.4C recorded in Derrylin, County Fermanagh. In Scotland the highs were around 26C.
Sunday’s weather saw packed beaches across the country, with cars queuing for several miles at Camber Sands in East Sussex.
Downing Street said the heatwave was being treated as a national emergency.
But people have been urged to take care near water as they try to cool off.
A teenage boy died after swimming in Salford Quays on Saturday, and a man is missing after entering a reservoir in West Yorkshire.
Meanwhile, water companies warned some households were experiencing lower water pressure and supply problems because of increased demand.
Affinity Water said households in London, Essex, and Surrey could be affected by lower pressure, Anglian Water said there had been supply interruptions in King’s Lynn, and South East Water also reported isolated problems.
The Met Office red heat warning for Monday and Tuesday – the highest level – covers an area including London, Manchester and York.
It is the first time it has been issued since the warning system for heat started last year.
The amber warnings in place for those days have been extended and now cover the rest of England, as well as all of Wales and southern Scotland.
An amber warning means health problems are more likely for some; substantial changes are required to work and routines; water safety incidents could increase as people head to the coast, lakes and rivers; and transport delays are possible.
Extra measures are being put in place by the government – more ambulance call handlers and extra capacity for the 111 helpline are planned for Monday and Tuesday.
Network Rail and Transport for London have warned people to travel only if necessary on Monday and Tuesday, and LNER said no trains would run between London and Leeds and York on Tuesday.
