Britain is bracing for its hottest night on record, with temperatures reaching 30C (86F). London and southeast.
Forecasters have warned of a “very warm and uncomfortable” night as Britons struggle to fall asleep in the “extreme” Spanish heatwave that has disrupted sleep cycles across the country.
The current hottest night time temperature was 23.9 °C (75 °F) recorded in Brighton in August 1990.
Wales has already recorded its hottest day on record. The temperature reached 37.1C at Hawarden in Flintshire, beating the previous record for the country, which has been set since 1990, by almost 2C.
Searches for “how to sleep in a heatwave” are up 138 percent since the Met Office issued its red extreme heat warning, new figures show.
It comes as the mercury is set to hit a sweltering 43C (109F) on Tuesday, likely breaking the previous temperature record of 38.7C (101.6F).
The searing heat, which has already killed more than 1,000 people on the continent and sparked wildfires in several countries, is expected to wreak havoc as some schools close and commuters struggle to get to work.
Britain is bracing for its hottest night on record, with temperatures expected to remain in the 30C range across London and the south-east. Pictured: Sunseekers jump from a pier into the water of Loch Lomond in the village of Luss in Argyll and Bute, Scotland this morning
Lee Hudson decided to take the day off in Kidderminster and jump into his homemade plunge pool while enjoying a drink and keeping a bottle of sunscreen nearby
Britons enjoy a barbecue in a river near the village of Luss in Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Experts have also warned that large wildfires will sweep the countryside tomorrow. While the National Grid has issued an alert calling for more power plants tonight and has predicted very high demand, the country has turned on its fans and air conditioners to try to stay cool.
A brief notice was issued to power stations on Monday afternoon to remind them to ensure they have enough megawatts to handle an expected surge in power demand tonight.
National Grid ESO, which covers England, Scotland and Wales, said: “A capacity market notification (CMN) was triggered by the automated system early this morning and canceled shortly thereafter.
‘This was due to a combination of factors including high exports, weak winds, planned plant maintenance outages, above average demand and a modest reduction in gas production.
“CMNs are automated and don’t take into account all the factors that our engineers are working on.
Swimmers enjoy an early morning dip in the cool waters of Jesus Green lido in Cambridge today
A homeowner prepares for record high temperatures by covering the front-facing windows and their vehicles with large tarpaulins to block the sun in Henley on Thames in Oxfordshire today
‘Based on current assessments and submitted data, ESO is confident that the power margins are adequate.’
Health chiefs urged patients to stay away unless it was an emergency amid fears hospitals will be overwhelmed, while emergency services urged swimmers to stay away from lakes and rivers if they encounter difficulties should.
After a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said emergency services are seeing an increase in the 999 calls – as London Ambulance said it expects up to 8,000 calls by the end of today – with the worst still to come.
Some schools in Nottinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire have closed while others are set to close early – and water companies have also warned of shortages, while a burst water main caused chaos in Kingston upon Thames.
Penny Endersby, chief executive of the Met Office, said: “The extreme heat we are forecasting right now is absolutely unprecedented.
“We have seen that when climate change has led to such unprecedented severe weather events around the world, it can be difficult for people to make the best decisions in such situations, because nothing in their life experience has led them to know what they have to expect.
“Here in the UK we’re used to seeing a hot spell as an opportunity to play in the sun – it’s not that kind of weather.
“Our lifestyle and our infrastructure are not adapted to what is coming.
“Please take the warnings we issue as seriously as a red or yellow warning from us for wind or snow and heed the advice.
“Stay out of the sun, keep your home cool, consider adjusting your plans for the warning period. If you must go out, wear a hat and sunscreen. Keep in the shade as much as possible and carry water.
“Don’t leave people or animals in hot cars and be extra vigilant to your family and neighbors, especially those who are more vulnerable.”
