Furious Britons have shared their ‘disgust’ at the heatwave sweeping the nation today as temperatures push on 100F for the second time in a week.
London Heathrow and Kew Gardens both hit a staggering 97.5F (36.4C) today, making it the hottest August day since 2003.
The heatwave is expected to last over the weekend and stay until at least next Tuesday, with forecasters saying it is the first official heatwave, lasting at least three days, since July 2019.
This comes soon after last Friday’s 100F (37.8C) was recorded at London Heathrow Airport, marking the UK’s third-hottest day ever.
Parts of the South of England are even expected to be hotter than the Caribbean, with highs of 91F (33C) in Jamaica and 84F (29C) Barbados, causing dozens of disgruntled Britons to share their outrage at the ‘disgustingly hot’ weather.
Dozens of disgruntled Britons took to Twitter to share their outrage at the ‘disgustingly hot’ weather, as parts of the UK are set to reach higher temperatures than the Caribbean
London Heathrow and Kew Gardens both hit a staggering 97.5F (36.4C) today, as tourists piled onto the beach in Bournemouth today, despite RNLI warnings
Andrew Tipler wrote on Twitter: ‘Just back from an early morning run and London is already melting.
‘Be careful out there today. It’s gunna be a hot one.’
Others on social media joked that last Friday’s heatwave was ‘just a tester’ as they complained at the ‘disgustingly hot’ weather sweeping the nation today.
One person jokingly posted a picture of a dog in a fridge on Twitter, writing that ‘it’s hot in London today’.
Hannah Dodd said: ‘It is disgustingly hot in London and I need ideas for something to do (literally anything) so I don’t have to sit in melting in my apartment today.’
Another commented that they ‘miss the north’ as they were overwhelmed by the staggering temperatures in London today.
Britain has never recorded two days with temperatures over 99F (37C) in the same year since records began.
The Met Office said there was a 30 per cent chance that today would be Britain’s hottest day of the year so far, and a 10 per cent chance that it could be the UK’s warmest day ever recorded.
The heatwave is set to last across the weekend and stay until next Tuesday, which would make it the first official heatwave, lasting at least three days, since July 2019
With daily highs in the South set to remain above 30C (86F) until Tuesday, forecasters say it is the first official heatwave – lasting at least three days – since July 2019, when the UK record temperature was set in Cambridge.
It is believed that the very hot conditions have been caused by air warming up over France before being drawn north.
The scorching temperatures come as:
- The Met Office issued a level-three heat health alert warning Britons to look out for the elderly and vulnerable;
- Parts of southern England will be hotter than the Caribbean, with highs of 91F (33C) expected in Jamaica;
- Britain has never recorded two days with temperatures over 99F (37C) in the same year since records began;
- The RNLI has urged families heading to the beach today and this weekend to be aware of potential dangers.
The Met Office warned of high UV levels across the south today, urging the nation to make sure they have ‘have sunscreen, water and a wide brimmed hat’.
But temperatures show no sign of cooling off heading into the evening, as temperatures are predicted to remain at 90F (32C) in London even by 8pm, according to the Met Office.
Further north are set to see some rainy spells throughout the evening, with Aberdeen set to cool down to 63F (17C), but the south is expected to see a balmy night heading into the weekend.
There are also fears tourists flocking to coastal hotspots will ignore social distancing rules and cram on to packed seafronts, risking further spread of coronavirus
Met Office meteorologist Grahame Madge said: ‘Whether we will see the hottest day of the year is on a knife edge. However, this will be a longer spell of warm weather compared with what we had last week.’
There are also fears tourists flocking to coastal hotspots will ignore social distancing rules and cram on to packed seafronts, risking further spread of coronavirus.
One Twitter user expressed his dismay at staycationers flocking to the seaside from the city, calling them ‘absolute cretins’.
Beaches across the south east were packed by mid-morning, with the RNLI saying: ‘If you arrive at the beach and it is simply too crowded, consider moving on and spending your day elsewhere.’
The hot weather is expected to continue through the first half of August, but with a risk of downpours and thunderstorms further into next week.