Millions of people in Britain stayed home or sought shade on Monday during the country’s first extreme heat warning, as hot, dry weather that has been scorching continental Europe for the past week moved north, disrupting travel, healthcare and schools . The red heat alert covers much of England and is set to last until Tuesday, when temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time, posing a risk of serious illness and even death for healthy people. according to the Met Office, Britain’s weather service. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Britain is 38.7 C (101.7 F), a record set in 2019. The country is far from prepared for such heat — most homes, schools and small businesses in Britain are not they have air conditioning. London’s Kew Gardens reached 37.5 C (99.5 F) by 3pm. and Wales temporarily recorded its hottest ever temperature, according to the Met Office, a record of 35.3C (95.5F) at Gogerddan on the west coast. At least four people were reported to have drowned across the UK in rivers, lakes and reservoirs while trying to cool off. While Monday may bring record highs to southeast England, temperatures are expected to rise further as warm air moves north on Tuesday, Met Office chief executive Penelope Endersby said. The extreme heat warning extends from London in the south to Manchester and Leeds in the north. “So tomorrow we actually see the highest chance of 40 degrees and temperatures above that,” Endersby told the BBC. “Forty-one is not on the cards. We even have 43 in the model, but hopefully it won’t be that high.” Hot weather has gripped southern Europe since last week, fueling fires in Spain, Portugal and France. Almost 600 heat-related deaths have been reported in Spain and Portugal, where temperatures reached 47 C (117 F) last week. Climate experts warn that global warming has increased the frequency of extreme weather events, with studies showing that the chance of UK temperatures reaching 40C is now 10 times higher than in pre-industrial times . Drought and heat waves linked to climate change have also made fighting fires more difficult. Officials in the Gironde region of southern France announced plans to evacuate an additional 3,500 people from towns threatened by raging flames. More than 1,500 firefighters and water-bombing planes are trying to put out the flames in the area’s pine forests. In Britain, train operators asked customers not to travel unless absolutely necessary, saying the heat was likely to warp rails and disrupt power supplies, leading to serious delays. Some services were running at reduced speed or were closed altogether from midnight, when temperatures were expected to peak. Some medical appointments have been canceled to relieve pressure on the health service. Some schools were closed and others set up swimming pools and water sprays to help children cool off. Most British schools have not yet closed for the summer. The extreme heat even led Parliament to relax its strict dress code. The Speaker of the House of Commons said male MPs could forego jackets and ties for the week. The high temperatures are even more of a shock as Britain usually has very moderate summer temperatures. Across the UK, average July temperatures range from a daily high of 21 C (70 F) to a low of 12 C (53 F). But Monday night will bring little relief from the heat, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures of 29C (84F) at midnight in London. Monday night will be “very oppressive” and sleep will be difficult, chief meteorologist Paul Davies said. “Tomorrow is the day we’re really worried about a good chance now that we’ll get to 40 or 41 degrees Celsius, and along with all the health conditions that come with those higher temperatures,” he said.
