Britain shattered its record for highest temperature ever registered Tuesday, with a provisional reading of 39.1 degrees Celsius, according to the country’s weather office — and the heat was only expected to rise.
The U.K. Met Office registered a provisional reading of 40.2 degrees Celsius at Heathrow Airport — breaking the record set just an hour earlier. Before Tuesday, the highest temperature recorded in Britain was 38.7 C , a record set in 2019.
The sweltering weather has disrupted travel, health care and schools in a country not prepared for such extremes. A huge chunk of England, from London in the south to Manchester and Leeds in the north, remained under the country’s first “red” warning for extreme heat Tuesday, meaning there is danger of death even for healthy people.
The capital’s Hyde Park, normally busy with walkers, was eerily quiet — except for the long lines to take a dip in the park’s Serpentine lake. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Britain’s transport infrastructure, some of it dating from Victorian times, “just wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature — and it will be many years before we can replace infrastructure with the kind of infrastructure that could.”
Climate experts warn that global warming has increased the frequency of extreme weather events, with studies showing that the likelihood of temperatures in the U.K. reaching 40 C is now 10 times higher than in the pre-industrial era. In fact, that once unthinkable mark looked possible — even likely — Tuesday.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
U.K. has warmest-ever night, braces for record-breaking dayMillions of people in Britain woke from the country's warmest-ever night on Tuesday and braced for a day when temperatures are forecast to hit 40 degrees Celsius, as a heat wave scorching Europe wallops a country more used to mild weather and rain.
Read more »
After warmest-ever night, UK braces for record-breaking heatMillions of people in Britain woke from the country's warmest-ever night on Tuesday and braced for a day when temperatures could break records, as a heat wave scorching Europe walloped a country not built for such extremes.
Read more »
As the Earth heats up, high-temperature records are being broken more often | CBC NewsAs the Earth continues to heat up due to man-made climate change, 'hottest temperature on record' has become an increasingly common refrain as dozens of countries have hit their high-temperature marks in the 21st century.
Read more »
Extreme heat warning goes into effect in U.K.Britain's first-ever extreme heat warning is in effect for large parts of England as authorities prepare for record high temperatures that are already disrupting travel, health care and schools.
Read more »
Today could be the hottest day ever in Britain | CBC NewsBritain's first-ever extreme heat warning is in effect for large parts of England as authorities prepare for record-high temperatures that are already disrupting travel, health care and schools.
Read more »