The extreme heat warning is in effect from Sunday until the end of Tuesday, with the heat expected to peak on Monday or Tuesday. The Met Office said: “There are likely to be adverse health effects across the population, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potential serious illness or risk to life.” It came as London Mayor Sadiq Khan launched a severe weather emergency response, usually triggered when temperatures drop to freezing in winter, to support rough sleepers in the capital during the heatwave. City Hall has written to all London boroughs and sleep services to ask them to carry out welfare checks on vulnerable people and provide sunscreen, water and information about staying cool and staying safe in high temperatures. Widespread disruption, including road closures and cancellations and delays to rail and air travel, is also likely as temperatures across England and Wales look set to soar into the mid-30s and above. Forecasters believe there is a 30% chance the mercury will surpass the current UK record of 38.7C (101.7F), set in Cambridge in 2019. The heatwave is a result of warm air flowing into the UK from mainland Europe. Heatwaves have become hotter, longer and more frequent due to climate change and experts have warned of the need for UK homes and cities to adapt to a future of more intense – and deadly – summer heat. Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: “Hottest temperatures in the UK tend to occur when our weather is influenced by air masses from continental Europe or northern Africa – as will be the Weekend. – there is already strongly embedded warming due to climate change across the continent, raising the possibility that the UK’s existing temperature record will be challenged.’ Ambulance services are already on the highest level of alert as hot weather difficulties combine with Covid staff absences and ongoing delays in delivering patients to A&E. London Ambulance Service has urged the public to help as the heat continues by only calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency, staying hydrated and staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day. The Royal Life Saving Society UK has warned people about the dangers of trying to cool off in lakes, quarries, rivers and other waterways. Hot weather can put a strain on the heart and lungs, with the elderly, people with pre-existing conditions and young children particularly at risk. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST It can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion or even heatstroke and affect the ability to work or concentrate. People are encouraged to keep their homes cool – by closing blinds or curtains and keeping bedrooms well ventilated at night. In some areas, the heatwave comes after months of below-average rainfall and water companies are urging households to conserve water as demand rises in the face of high temperatures.
