The mercury is soaring across the UK, with temperatures set to shatter records in some parts. On Tuesday, Wisley in Surrey hit 34.6C, a new June peak, according to the Met Office. Forecasts indicate that south-east England could see temperatures climb to 38C on Wednesday and potentially reach an unprecedented 39C on Thursday.
The extreme heat has prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red weather warning for Wednesday and Thursday, signifying a substantial risk of widespread impact. The UK's infrastructure is straining under the pressure, with experts highlighting that much of it was 'built for a climate that no longer exists', struggling to adapt to more frequent and intense heat events attributed to climate change.
The public services are feeling the strain. Rail networks across Great Britain have reduced speeds and services, advising passengers to travel only if absolutely necessary due to the risk of tracks buckling under the heat. Hospitals in England are cancelling patient appointments as a surge in demand for emergency care pushes them to the limit. Education is also affected, with hundreds of schools in southern England and Wales closing or reducing hours to mitigate the impact on students and staff.
Water management is another critical area facing pressure, with South East Water introducing a hosepipe ban due to soaring temperatures and increased demand. Other water companies are urging customers to conserve water. These measures underscore the widespread challenges posed by the current heatwave, part of a broader pattern of extreme heat affecting much of western Europe.
Internationally, the severity of the situation was highlighted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during London Climate Action Week. He remarked that London was 'cooking', drawing a stark connection between the scorching temperatures and the global climate crisis. Guterres emphasised that the world faces a 'tale of two crises: a climate crisis pushing us deeper toward higher temperature and closer to catastrophic tipping points, and an energy crisis exposing the folly of a world hooked on hydrocarbons'.