LONDON: For the third time in a single day, the UK’s June temperature record has been broken, according to the Met Office on Thursday.
The mercury reached 36.7C (98.1F) at Merryfield in Somerset, after earlier peaking at 36.6C (97.9F) at Yeovilton, also in Somerset.
Anadolu Ajansi reported that prior to that, the Met Office reported temperatures in Yeovilton had reached 36.4C (97.5F), marking the second consecutive day that the June record has been surpassed.
A red weather warning for extreme heat has been extended into Friday for London and parts of south-east England, as the UK endures an intensifying heat wave marked by repeated record-breaking temperatures and mounting pressure on public services.
The extreme conditions follow what has already been confirmed as the warmest June night on record in the UK, with provisional data showing temperatures in Cardiff remaining above 23.5C (74.3F) overnight.
Forecasters say further extreme heat is expected to continue, with the possibility that national records for June could yet be challenged again as the heat wave persists.
The prolonged hot spell is also having a significant impact on infrastructure and daily life. South East Water has introduced a hosepipe ban affecting around 850,000 customers in Kent, citing “high temperatures and record demand for water.”
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page said: “This exceptional spell of hot and humid weather will maintain its grip on the UK for a little longer.
Although the current red warning for areas in more central and western parts of England and Wales will expire later today, the heatwave will still be bringing high temperatures to these areas, albeit moving away from the peak heat of Wednesday and Thursday.”
“We are expecting that some daytime maximum temperatures could exceed 36C, perhaps rising to 37C in some locations,” he added. – BERNAMA-ANADOLU
