Britain has recorded the hottest day of the year so far, surpassing temperatures reached in even the Canary Islands or Croatia. According to the Met Office, temperatures in Heathrow tipped the mercury at 27.8C at 2pm on Wednesday while Dubrovnik and the Canaries were 27C.
And Friday looks set to be even warmer across the country. The weather looks set to hit 36C, which would make it the hottest day in June since records began.
Bookmaker Ladbrokes is so convinced of a red hot summer it has slashed odds on 2022 becoming the hottest on record at 6/4. The Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued heat warnings to alert the NHS of a danger to the public’s health, reports the Mirror.
But northerners are likely to get some relief from the heat sooner than most. Manchester could see a dramatic change in the temperature when the Spanish plume is swapped for a cold front from Greenland - sending temperatures plunging from 30C on Friday to 15C on Saturday.
Met forecaster Annie Shuttleworth said Heathrow saw 27.8, eclipsing the 27.5C it saw in mid-May. “For the rest of June into mid-July we are expecting temperatures to be close to average but we will still get some of these short warm spells,” she said.
“It’s going to be very hot on Friday with highs of 34C. If we get to that it will be the warmest temperature since August 2020.
“Along the south coast they won’t see the rain until Saturday evening. But there’s a dramatic change when the cold front comes. Temperatures are coming down fairly significantly from Friday to Sunday.
“Some will definitely be relieved to be out of 34 degrees because it’s not going to be comfortable overnight, we are looking at temperatures holding up to even the low 20s. The cold front from Greenland will bring the temperature back down for Manchester when on Friday they could see highs of 30 degrees but on Saturday it is closer to 15 degrees.”
Charity Age UK is urging elderly people to take some simple precautions, particularly if they have breathing problems or a heart condition. Caroline Abrahams, of the charity, said: “Older people can be at risk of dehydration and overheating when it gets hot, especially if they live somewhere that is hard to keep cool, so it’s a good idea to let people know if you have any concerns about yourself, especially if you live alone.
“For the rest of us, checking in on older relatives and neighbours is a nice idea - for example, you may have an extra fan you can lend, and the offer of an ice cream when it is sweltering will usually be appreciated too.
“Taking simple steps to keep cool during the hottest parts of the day is a good idea.” She advised elderly people to remain indoors, wear light clothing and drink plenty of water during the warmest times in the day.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said there is a low-risk of drought but warned further hot, dry weather could put pressure on some areas.
