UK sets provisional June heat record hitting 36.1C

LONDON, United Kingdom 

The United Kingdom has provisionally recorded its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.1 degrees Celsius in southern England as an intense heatwave swept across large parts of Europe, triggering health warnings, transport disruptions, and widespread school closures.

According to reports citing data from the UK’s Met Office, the record temperature was observed in Hampshire on Tuesday, surpassing the previous June record that had stood for decades. The milestone comes amid an exceptional spell of hot weather that has affected millions across the country and placed significant strain on public services and infrastructure.

The extreme heat prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red heat warning for parts of the country, indicating a serious risk to public health. Officials warned that even healthy individuals could experience adverse effects from prolonged exposure to the unusually high temperatures, while vulnerable groups including older adults and those with existing medical conditions faced heightened risks.

The impact was felt across multiple sectors. Hundreds of schools either closed completely or shortened their operating hours as classrooms became increasingly difficult to keep cool. Rail services experienced delays and cancellations due to concerns about overheating infrastructure, while hospitals reported operational challenges linked to the exceptional temperatures. In Portsmouth, Queen Alexandra Hospital declared a critical incident after equipment was affected by the heat.

Meteorologists noted that the heatwave felt even more intense because of unusually high humidity levels. While air temperatures climbed into the mid-30s Celsius, the humidity made conditions feel considerably hotter, reducing the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating. Experts warned that the combination of heat and humidity increased the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

The record-breaking conditions follow an already extraordinary year for British weather. The Met Office recently reported that England and Wales experienced their warmest spring on record, with an exceptionally early heatwave in May setting new seasonal temperature benchmarks.

Forecasters expect cooler conditions and thunderstorms to bring some relief in the coming days. However, climate scientists say the latest heatwave is part of a broader trend of increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events across the UK and Europe, raising fresh concerns about the long-term impacts of a warming climate.

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