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UK braces to face first ever red heat warning

Temperature of 40 degrees Celsius forecast for first time in the UK

EUROPE-heatwave Representational image | Reuters

United Kingdom braces to face exceptional heat as an extreme heat warning has been issued by the Met Office for two days in various parts of England. The temperature is expected to return closer to normal after Tuesday.

The Met Office on Friday forecast for first time temperatures of 40°C and issued first ever red warning for exceptional heat. As per the forecast, a Red Extreme heat national severe weather warning will cover Monday and Tuesday for parts of central, northern, eastern and southeastern England. An Amber Extreme heat warning has been in place for much of England and Wales for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen, said that exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely early this week, quite widely across the red warning area on Monday, and focussed a little more east and north on Tuesday. "Currently there is a 50% chance we could see temperatures top 40°C and 80% we will see a new maximum temperature reached,” she said. She added that nights are also likely to be exceptionally warm.

As per the forecast, temperatures are expected to start to return closer to normal for the time of year from the middle of the week onwards as cooler air pushes across the country from the west.

A heat-health alert level 4 has been issued in the UK. The public was advised to look out for others, especially older people, young children and babies and those with underlying health conditions. They were advised to close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler. The public were asked to drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol, dress appropriately for the weather and slow down when it is hot. They were also asked to look out for signs of heat-related illness.

According to the forecast, the high pressure near the southern half of the UK, which has been responsible for the past week’s warm weather in the UK, continues to dominate bringing largely dry and clear weather for most. A developing southerly flow will allow very high temperatures currently building over the continent to start to spread northwards into the UK.

The Met office projects exceptional and record-breaking heat for much of England, Wales and parts of Scotland on Tuesday. Thundery showers in the southwest and a few further north later. Rain in far northwest.

The Network Rail in the UK has advised the public not to travel unless necessary. Britons are being urged to stay inside during the hottest points of the day, between 11am and 4pm, and wear sun cream, a hat and stay in the shade and keep hydrated with water, the Guardian reported.

Extreme temperatures have also been forecast in France where wildfire is raging. Blazes in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and forced thousands of residents and holidaymakers to flee. Temperatures across France are expected to be over 30 degrees Celsius (86F) but between 38 and 40 degrees in the western half of the country, The Guardian reported.

In Spain, authorities reported about 20 wildfires still raging out of control in different parts of the country from the south to Galicia in the far north-west, where blazes have destroyed about 4,500 hectares of land.

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