UK heatwave: Temperature tops 38C and likely to rise on Tuesday
The UK has had one of its hottest days on record, with a high of 38.1C (100.6F) – and forecasters are warning it will be warmer still on Tuesday.
The high was recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk, on Monday, while 37C was exceeded in several places.
The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for Monday and Tuesday in much of England, with temperatures of up to 41C forecast.
The current highest temperature in the UK is 38.7C, in Cambridge in July 2019.
A high of 38.5C was reached in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003, making Monday the third hottest day on record – and the hottest day of the year so far.
Hawarden in Flintshire hit 37.1C, making it the hottest day on record for Wales according to provisional figures from the Met Office.
The temperature is forecast to remain high with overnight temperatures in the mid-20s.
Tuesday could be a cooler day across the west of the UK but parts of the Midlands and east of England could see temperatures into the 40s – with a possibility of 42C in Lincolnshire, BBC Weather presenter Ben Rich said.
On Monday, a 16-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in Maidenhead, Berkshire, while the Metropolitan Police said a 14-year-old boy went missing and is believed to have drowned after entering the Thames at Tagg’s Island in Hampton, south-west London.
Some schools closed early during the day – or chose not to open at all – although the government has issued guidance designed to keep them open. One teaching union said most chose to stay open.
Network Rail said people should travel only “if absolutely necessary” on Monday and Tuesday, with some cancellations, and speed restrictions in place across the network.
No trains will be running north to Leeds and York from London King’s Cross on Tuesday, Network Rail said, including LNER services.
The Ministry of Defence said aircraft were using alternative airfields after reports of the tarmac melting on the runway at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Flights were suspended at Luton Airport after a section of the runway lifted due to the hot weather, the airport said. EasyJet said several flights had been diverted to nearby airports, while some others were cancelled as a result.
