The United Kingdom has recorded a new high temperature for June for the third day in a row, as an intense heatwave continues to grip the nation. The Met Office confirmed that Friday became the UK's hottest June day ever, with a provisional temperature of 36.9°C recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk. This surpasses the previous record of 36.7°C set in Merryfield, Somerset, just a day earlier.
Emergency Services Under Strain
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) reported its highest number of life-threatening emergencies in a single day on Wednesday. Chief Operating Officer Craig Harman stated that demand is expected to grow day on day over the next few days. On Wednesday, LAS experienced a 50% increase in life-threatening emergency calls compared to a typical Wednesday in June, with cardiac arrests rising by 30%. Harman urged football fans preparing for England's World Cup match to drink alcohol responsibly and to consume plenty of water between alcoholic beverages.
Health Infrastructure Struggles
Dr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, highlighted that the heatwave exposes the poor state of health service infrastructure. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that many hospitals are old and not designed to cope with extreme heat, with some elderly care wards exceeding 30°C. She also noted that critical machinery such as MRI scanners and linear accelerators used for cancer treatment have failed due to the heat. University Hospital Southampton declared a critical incident and cancelled several planned operations and outpatient appointments.
Schools and Services Disrupted
At least 571 schools across the UK have fully or partially closed due to the heat, including in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West Berks, and Worcestershire. Nurseries have also been forced to close. A hosepipe ban has been implemented in Kent due to surging water demand.
Transport and Travel Warnings
Network Rail urged passengers to avoid non-essential travel across much of England on Friday, with services operating in Met Office red and amber zones recommended only for absolutely necessary journeys. The RAC reported a 20% increase in breakdowns compared to usual for late June, advising only essential trips. Courts have also been affected: Bristol Crown Court closed its cells due to heat, moving defendants to Bristol Magistrates' Court, and the sentencing of six defendants in a firearms conspiracy at Harrow Crown Court was postponed because the dock was too hot.
Wildfires and Water Incidents
Firefighters from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service continue to tackle a wildfire on Tintwistle Moor in Glossop, covering approximately 200 hectares. Leicestershire Police recovered the body of a teenage boy from Meynell Lake in Syston after he entered the water on Thursday. A 50-year-old man from Cilfrew, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, died after entering the water at Aberavon beach on Wednesday.
Energy Supply Concerns
The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued an electricity margin notice for Friday between 7pm and 10pm, indicating that electricity supplies may be squeezed. This notice is a precaution to ensure supply meets demand during the heatwave.
Weather Warnings and Outlook
The Met Office extended its red warning until 9pm on Friday for London and parts of east and southeast England, including Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and Kent. This marks the first time red heat warnings have been issued over three consecutive days. An amber heat warning covers a wider area, including the East Midlands, East of England, North West, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber, running until midnight. Yellow thunderstorm warnings are in place for Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth stated that eastern England will see the highest temperatures on Friday but conditions will finally cool down over the weekend.
Heat-Dome Phenomenon
The current heatwave is driven by a heat-dome, an area of high pressure that stalls over a region and traps heat, settling over western Europe and bringing extreme conditions across the continent. Human-driven climate change, primarily caused by burning fossil fuels, is making such extreme heatwaves more frequent and intense.
