An amber “extreme heat” alert has been issued by the Met Office for today, warning of “potential serious illness or danger to life”.
The alert applies to most of England and Wales, except the northern-most parts of England.
Over the coming days, it’s expected that the heatwave will reach its peak with temperatures of up to 41C.
This has triggered a red alert for Monday and Tuesday – when “exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely”, the forecaster said.
Millions have been urged to work from home, as forecasters say there is an 80 per cent chance on Tuesday of the mercury topping the UK’s record temperature of 38.7C (101.7F) – that was set in Cambridge in 2019.
Both the amber and red alerts warn that “population-wide adverse health effects are likely to be experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potential serious illness or danger to life.”
The Met Office adds: “Substantial changes in working practices and daily routines likely to be required.
“Significantly more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to increased risk of water safety incidents
“Delays on roads and road closures are possible, along with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, with potential for significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays.”
