By Emily Caulkett-
Britain is basking in very hot weather as the UK’s hottest day on record is expected to be exceeded twice in the next two days as temperatures could even soar to 43C, prompting the declaration of Britain’s first-ever national heat emergency.
With summer truly on the shores of Great Britain, schools closed, and several warnings issued out to brits to be mindful of the hot weather, the Met has announced the the Uk may even be hotter than the Caribbean in the next few days.
Gogerddan in Wales has reached 35.3C so far today, surpassing the previous record high of 35.2C, recorded at Hawarden Bridge, Flintshire, on 2 August 1990.
The chief executive of the Met Office confirmed “we may well see the hottest day in the UK in history” on Monday. But Tuesday is expected to be even warmer, with some forecasts estimating highs of 43C – well above the previous record of 38.7C, recorded in 2019.
“Forty-one isn’t off the cards. We’ve even got some 43s in the model but we’re hoping it won’t be as high as that,” Professor Penelope Endersby told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, adding that the Met Office will be monitoring the possibility of drought in the coming months.
People are being advised not to travel on public transport unless “absolutely necessary” as services will be reduced due to the heatwave, while multiple schools have told The Independent that around a third of their pupils – or in some cases more than half – are absent today.
The Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for the first time ever, for today and tomorrow which covers a large area across England.
This means dangerous weather is expected and you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impacts of severe weather.
There is also an amber weather warning which is running in tandem with the above, and covers all of England, Wales, southern and eastern parts of Scotland.
The Labour party accused Boris Johnson of “clocking off”, after it was confirmed he will miss a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee today to discuss the current heatwave.
It came after Mr Johnson missed his third meeting on the UK’s first red extreme heat warning on Saturday, while attending a farewell party for close allies at Chequers.
Instead, the prime minister was paying a visit to the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire – just days after finding time to fly in a Typhoon jet with the RAF. Later in the day, Mr Johnson was due to defend his record in office from the despatch box as the Commons debates a confidence motion in the government.
Downing Street said that today’s Cobra will be led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse, and insisted the prime minister was being constantly updated on the situation.