Britain faces another 36C day as temperatures keep climbing during third heatwave of the year
Brits are bracing for another scorching day with temperatures expected to hit up to 36C degrees in some areas as the UK faces its third heatwave in months.
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The heat is expected to peak on Thursday and Friday when temperatures will “widely exceed 30C” across the UK and some areas in England could hit 36C, according to the Met Office.
Scotland and Northern Ireland could see highs of up to 28C on Friday and temperatures in the mid-20s over the weekend.
Health and fire warnings have been issued as temperatures keep climbing.
The Midlands, eastern and southern England are under amber heat-health alerts by the UK Health Security Agency until 9pm on Sunday while yellow heat health alerts are in force across northern England for the same period.
While temperatures are not expected to reach as far as last month's record-breaking highs, many places are likely to experience several consecutive days of hot weather.
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On Wednesday, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) flagged the increasing risk of wildfires because of the dry and hot weather, advising people to avoid using disposable barbecues in open countryside, park and moorlands.
Some trains have been cancelled and others will run at reduced speeds amid the hot weather.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) said customers should try to travel before 12pm this week to avoid the highest temperatures, expect disruption on the network and check for timetable changes before travelling.
The company said regional services between Nottingham and Worksop and Nottingham and Leicester were suspended from 12pm on Wednesday to reduce the impact of the extreme temperatures on the railway.EMR added some other services will operate at reduced speeds for safety reasons.
High temperatures can cause rails to buckle, overhead electric wires to sag and lineside fires, while steel rails can exceed 50C when the air temperature is 30C.
The heat is expected to ease gradually across southern and eastern parts of the UK across the weekend and into next week, while “very warm” weather is set to hit the South West, the Met Office said.
UV levels are set to be high or very high across many parts of the UK throughout the week, the forecaster said, advising people to use sun protection.Forecasters reckon this heatwave will last longer than the one in June.
Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among the vulnerable, those aged 65 and over or those with health conditions.
People are also reminded to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water and keep out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.