The driest July warning for England since 1935. (Representative)
London:
A four-day “extreme heat” warning went into effect in parts of England and Wales on Thursday, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in another heatwave that could strain water supply and transport services.
The Met Office said its amber warning, the second most severe after red, would last until the end of Sunday, and warned that people hit by extreme heat could face adverse health effects.
Maximum temperatures are expected to reach 35 °C (95 Fahrenheit) on Friday and 36 °C in some places on Saturday.
The Met Office website showed it is forecast to be “sunny and hot or very hot” on Thursday over eastern parts of England and Wales as well as Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The warning marks the driest July for England since 1935, when temperatures rose above 40 degrees Celsius for the first time, turning a renewed spotlight on the effects of climate change.
Other European countries have also faced scorching heat in recent weeks with temperatures often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
During the summer of July, Britain, which is less accustomed to such high temperatures, suffered power outages, damage to airport runways and rail tracks, and dozens of explosions in London, where fire brigades were sent to World War II. It faced its busiest week since the war.
Britain’s Environment Minister George Eustice on Wednesday urged water companies to take precautions to protect water supplies and deal with the effects of prolonged dry weather.
Several water companies have already banned the use of the water and supermarkets have limited sales of disposable barbecue that firefighters have warned could light the tinder-dry hay.
This week’s amber warning follows Britain’s first red “extreme heat” warning in July.
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