Britain could record its hottest-ever June temperature today – with experts warning hundreds could die from the ‘killer’ heat.
Forecasters predict highs of 34C (93F) in parts of eastern England such as Cambridgeshire, and 30C in the North East.
A high of 30.8C (87.4F) was recorded at Heathrow airport yesterday, with forecasters saying there is an outside chance of today’s temperature beating the all-time high for the month of 35.6C (96.08F) at London‘s Camden Square on June 29, 1957.
The sizzling sunshine means levels of ultraviolet radiation are likely to reach high or very high levels, with the humid conditions sparking thunderstorms.
It comes as nearly 600 people in England and Wales are predicted to die as a result of this week’s heatwave, researchers have found.
Experts at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Imperial College London used decades of UK data to predict excess mortality during the hot temperatures from Thursday to Sunday.
Their study, released on Saturday, forecasts that around 570 people will die because of the heat over the four days.
The excess deaths are estimated to peak at 266 on Saturday when the heat will be at its most intense.
London is predicted to have the greatest number of excess deaths with 129.
The researchers said their assessment highlights how extreme heat poses a growing threat to public health in the UK.
Britain could record its hottest-ever June temperature today – with experts warning hundreds could die from the ‘killer’ heat. Pictured: People sunbathing in Green Park, London on June 20
Forecasters predict highs of 34C (93F) in parts of eastern England such as Cambridgeshire, and 30C in the North East. Pictured: People shield from the sun under umbrellas in Victoria Embankment Gardens, London, on June 20
The sizzling sunshine means levels of ultraviolet radiation are likely to reach high or very high levels, with the humid conditions sparking thunderstorms. Pictured: People enjoy the hot weather at Cullercoats Beach in North Shields
It comes as nearly 600 people in England and Wales are predicted to die as a result of this week’s heatwave, researchers have found. Pictured Members of the public enjoy the warm weather on Saltburn Beach
It follows a World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group study published on Friday which found the heatwave has been made about 100 times more likely and 2-4C hotter due to climate change.
Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said: ‘Heatwaves are silent killers – people who lose their lives in them typically have pre-existing health conditions and rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death.
‘This real-time analysis reveals the hidden toll of heatwaves and we want it to help raise the alarm.
‘Heatwaves are an underappreciated threat in the UK and they’re becoming more dangerous with climate change.’
A warning for thunder has been issued from the north Midlands to Northumberland, including north-east Wales, with downpours, hail, lightning and gusty winds predicted from 3pm today – the Summer Solstice – to the early hours of tomorrow.
The Met Office warned of ‘sudden flooding’ which could see communities ‘cut off’, transport disruption and power cuts.
The hot weather is poised to linger in the South and East through the weekend. An amber heat health alert – to warn healthcare providers – lasts until Monday.
Elsewhere, temperatures are set to fall from tomorrow to the high teens or low 20s.
Paddleboarders glide along the North Sea as beachgoers enjoy the heatwave on Friday
The highest mortality rates are expected in London and the West Midlands and 85% of deaths are expected to be of people over 65, who are more vulnerable to the extreme heat. Pictured: Two women travelling to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot cool off on the London Underground today
A warning for thunder has been issued from the north Midlands to Northumberland, including north-east Wales, with downpours, hail, lightning and gusty winds predicted from 3pm today – the Summer Solstice – to the early hours of tomorrow. Pictured: People enjoy the warm weather on Jubilee Beach in Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Parts of the UK are today set to be hotter than Hawaii, forecast to reach 29C (84F), and Barbados, which should hit 32C (89F).
The highest temperature of the year was Thursday’s 32.2C (89.96F) at Kew Gardens, south-west London. Computer modelling by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warns of up to 600 premature deaths during the hot period.
Large crowds are expected to gather at Stonehenge for the annual summer solstice early on Saturday morning, with mild temperatures in the high teens expected for those observing the spectacle.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: ‘There are scattered thunderstorms coming through.
‘Some of the rain could be quite intense, and frequent lightning, hail, gusty winds and some heavy downpours, which we haven’t seen for a while.
‘Some of the ground is quite hard at the moment, and when you get heavy rain hitting hard ground, it can cause surface water issues.
‘You might find surface water on the roads, drains finding it difficult to cope and a small chance of homes being flooded.’
An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK.
The Met Office confirmed that ‘many places’ in England and ‘one or two areas’ in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday.
Aidan McGovern, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: ‘At the moment, the temperatures will be highest towards the east, [with] lower temperatures in the west compared with Friday but still high humidity, so it’s going to feel oppressive in many places, and [there is] always a chance of some showers developing as the day progresses, particularly towards the west.
‘Temperatures [will be] peaking at 31 to 33, or 34C, somewhere between London and Midlands and north-east England.’
There will also be very high UV and pollen levels across the country on Saturday, the forecaster said.
People on the boating lake at Highfields Park, Nottingham on June 20
The hot weather is poised to linger in the South and East through the weekend. An amber heat health alert – to warn healthcare providers – lasts until Monday.Pictured: A woman dances on a statue of a Sphinx next to the River Thames in London
Two women walk in the sunshine at St James’s Park in London as the heat continues
Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday, making it the warmest day of the year so far, while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales.
The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday.
It warns ‘significant impacts are likely’ across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions.
Following the hot weather, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged the public to take heat and water safety seriously.
During 2022’s heatwave, temperatures rose past 40C, leading to 320 people being treated in hospital.
Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: ‘Heat is no longer just a holiday perk – it’s a growing public health risk.
‘We’re seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities.
‘Warm weather can also be deceptive when it comes to going for a dip.
‘While the air may feel hot, water temperatures often remain dangerously cold, which can lead to cold-water shock, even in summer.’
