The UK could experience its hottest August day on record as temperatures are expected to soar to 38C in some areas. The Met Office has issued rare amber "extreme heat" warnings for London, parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands, and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.
Forecast for scorching temperatures
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: "Temperatures (in areas covered by the amber warning) could reach highs of around 36, 37, possibly 38C.
"Now when you get these sorts of high temperatures, well that’s when we could see impacts to our infrastructure, our railway lines, our roads, they are not designed for this sort of heat.
"And more people are likely to be impacted by how hot it is with regards to their health."
Potential record-breaking day
The current hottest day this year was recorded on June 28, when Lingwood in Norfolk reached 38C. If temperatures climb to 38.5C, it would not only be the hottest day of the year so far but also the hottest August day on record.
Burkill added: "It could be the hottest day of the year so far if we get above 38C, and if we get above 38.5C, well it could be the hottest August day on record, but that’s actually pretty unlikely."
Government and health warnings
Following another spell of scorching temperatures, Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee on Wednesday. Burnham said there had been a "significant number of excess deaths from heat this summer already" and urged the public to follow health advice, including checking in on elderly friends and relatives.
The health warnings come as more than 2,800 excess deaths were recorded in the record-breaking heatwaves in May and June. The Royal College of Nursing has warned that nurses are collapsing at work and are being forced to care for patients in temperatures in excess of 30C. Others have reported seizures and "dripping with sweat from head to toe", with nurses saying patients are being cared for in hospitals described as "unbearably hot" and "not fit for humans".
