Extreme Heat Waves in UK May Become Commonplace by End of Century, Chief Meteorologist Warns
10:20 GMT 18.07.2022 (Updated: 15:20 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AFP 2023 / DAMIEN MEYER
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The unprecedented heat wave that the United Kingdom is forecast to experience today and tomorrow may become "a regular occurrence" by the end of the century as the climate change progresses, the UK weather agency's chief meteorologist, Paul Davies, said on Monday.
The UK is expected to face record heat waves on Monday and Tuesday, with the anticipated temperature rising up to 40 or 41 degrees Celsius (104-106 degrees Fahrenheit), thus breaking an absolute temperature record for the entire history of observations of 38.7 degrees registered in 2003. On Friday, the UK government declared a "red" extreme heat warning in some parts of the country for the first time in history.
"I've been a meteorologist for about 30 years, and I've never seen the charts that I've seen today… As a meteorologist, to see the brutality of the heat that we're expecting tomorrow is quite astounding… This sort of unprecedented heat could be a regular occurrence by the end of the century," the Met Office official told Sky News broadcaster.
Davies added that the United Kingdom should be prepared for such high temperatures every summer in the future, as the 40-degree heat wave in the region is in line with the climate change projections drawn up by scientists.
Pedestrians cool off with their feet in the water of the Trafalgar Square fountain, in central London, on July 13, 2022, during a heatwave. - Britain issued, on July 13, 2022 an extreme heat warning, with temperatures predicted to hit more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) across large parts of England and Wales
© AFP 2023 / JUSTIN TALLIS
The record temperatures are expected to cause disruptions to numerous services and put pressure on health care.
High temperatures have led to an increase in fires and other incidents. In particular, the reports said that a military training ground has been caught on fire, with the operation of a key UK air force base Cranwell in Lincolnshire reportedly suspended due to melted surface of the airstrip.
