The UK is bracing for more record-breaking temperatures on Thursday as a rare red warning for extreme heat continues, causing widespread disruption to hospitals, schools, and public transport. The sweltering conditions have led to what one physician described as 'awful conditions' in hospitals, with some cancer treatment machines failing and geriatric wards reaching temperatures of up to 35°C.
Temperature Records Smashed
On Wednesday, the June temperature record, held since the infamous summer of 1976, was provisionally broken when temperatures reached 36.1°C in Gosport, Hampshire. The Met Office also reported that the UK record for the highest June minimum temperature has been provisionally broken, with temperatures only falling to 23.5°C overnight at Bute Park in Cardiff. The heatwave is set to continue through the end of the week, with red and amber warnings covering much of England and Wales on Thursday, and amber warnings for parts of England on Friday and Saturday.
Disruption Across Sectors
The extreme heat has forced schools and nurseries to close or implement early pick-up times and relax uniform rules. Train services have been disrupted, and South East Water announced a temporary hosepipe ban for residents in Kent due to 'high temperatures and record demand for water.' The Royal College of Physicians reported that doctors are facing severe, unsustainable pressure, with very few settings having air conditioning, staff 'really struggling,' and resident doctors battling the heat while sleep deprived. One physician warned that 'conditions are awful' due to overcrowding, and another noted that two machines used to treat cancer had stopped amid the heatwave.
Workplace and Health Alerts
According to the Chartered Management Institute, almost one in five employers have no measures to help workers cope with the heat. A survey of 1,000 managers found that a third had relaxed dress codes, a quarter offered flexible working hours, and a minority implemented other measures such as free refreshments, additional breaks, and reduced workloads. Red heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the East of England, East Midlands, London, the South East, the South West, and the West Midlands, with amber alerts for the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and The Humber. These alerts are in place until 11pm on Friday, meaning 'adverse temperatures are likely to impact on the health and wellbeing of the population.'
Scotland and Ireland Also Affected
In Scotland, forecasters predict temperatures may rise into the low 30s Celsius in some areas, potentially breaking the record June temperature of 32.3°C recorded at Ochtertyre in Perthshire on June 18, 1893. Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said, 'We are expecting temperatures to get into the high 20s and possibly the low 30s so it does threaten the Scottish June record, there is the potential to break it.' In Ireland, record temperatures will be 'challenged' on Thursday, according to Met Éireann meteorologist Gerry Murphy. The highest temperature recorded in the Republic of Ireland is 33.3°C at Kilkenny Castle on June 26, 1887. The country's status yellow high temperature warning, in place since Tuesday, has been extended until Saturday at 9am.
Climate Change Context
The heatwave is being driven by a 'heat dome' settling over western Europe, which has brought extreme conditions across the continent. Human-driven climate change, mostly caused by burning fossil fuels, is making heatwaves more frequent and intense. The latest heatwave has prompted renewed calls for the UK to be better prepared for the rising risk of extreme heat, including cooling for hospitals, schools, and care homes, heat regulations for workplaces, and infrastructure upgrades to withstand higher temperatures.
