As temperatures soar, Britain bakes in record heat, killing hundreds

• 40.2 degrees Celsius (104.3 Fahrenheit) had been recorded at London Heathrow.
• It marked the first time ever for a temperature to exceed 40 C 104 F in Britain.
• The previous record was 38.7 C (101.7 F).

Tuesday saw the highest temperatures ever recorded in Great Britain as a wave of North African heat; left Britons scorching in houses without air conditioning and scrambling for methods to cool off.

The Met Office in Britain reported a temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius (104.3 degrees Fahrenheit); at London Heathrow at around 1:30 pm on Tuesday. It was the first occasion ever when a temperature in Britain; exceeded 40 C (104 F). 38.7 C set the previous benchmark (101.7 F).

The head scientist at the Met Office, Stephen Belcher, stated, “Well, I wasn’t expecting to see this in my career. “It serves as a stark reminder to me that the environment; has changed and will continue to change,” the author said.

Without global warming, he claimed, it would be “almost unthinkable” for Britain to experience; such high temperatures. If global warming is not significantly reduced; he predicted that Britain might see repeated bouts of comparable intense heat.

Also Read

European disastrous heatwave heads toward north

Extreme heat warnings issued in France, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Temperatures...

But for English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish people who weren’t used to such high temperatures; Tuesday was a shock. Ireland and Scotland were also affected by the heat wave; which covered all of England. In the UK, air conditioning is only installed in roughly 3% of residences.

There have been reports of roads collapsing and airport runway asphalt melting in southern England; which has disrupted transport. People were urged to sit in the water with their feet in it; use misting fans, drink ice-cold water, and cool down with ice cloths while swimming pools and beaches; were crowded and electric fans hummed. The House of Commons’ dress code was somewhat relaxed when it was announced; that members might forgo their coats and ties.

Also Read

Wildfires spread across heatwave-hit Europe

A heatwave  expected to peak on Thursday in Spain. The scorching temperatures...