The United Kingdom prepares for travel delays as temperatures could reach 104 F
ENGLAND — After weather forecasters issued their first-ever "red" warning for excessive heat on Saturday, the British government convened an emergency reaction conference to prepare for record-breaking high temperatures next week.
The U.K. Met Office, the nation's weather office, warned Friday that the alert covers a sizable portion of England on Monday and Tuesday when temperatures may surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time, posing a danger of serious sickness and even death among healthy people.
The 38.7C (101.7F) heat record for Britain was established in 2019.
Cabinet Office Minister Kit Malthouse, who presided over the meeting, cautioned that the impact on transportation services will be severe.
"For example, the heat will harm the rails, therefore the trains must operate more slowly. He informed the BBC that there might be fewer services. "People should be alert for disruptions. This could be an opportunity for them to work from home if they don't need to travel.
Travelers on trains and those using the London Underground were warned not to go anywhere on Monday and Tuesday unless it was absolutely necessary. Schools and nursing homes have been encouraged to take action to protect kids and elderly residents, who are thought to be particularly susceptible to high temperatures. The majority of English schools are still open through the end of the next week.
The warning comes as scientists warn that climate change is making it more likely that Britain, a nation not used to such high temperatures, would experience extreme heat waves. There isn't much air conditioning in the country's houses, apartments, schools, or small enterprises.
Britain often has mild summertime temperatures. Average July temperatures in the UK range from a high of 21 C (70 F) to a low of 12 C each day (53 F).
The National Health Service, police, fire, and other emergency service leaders met with London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Friday to evaluate strategies for handling the heat emergency.
A doctor warned that the impending heat wave and an increase in COVID-19 infections were making life for medical personnel a nightmare.
According to Dr. Claire Bronze, 38, an emergency department consultant in London, "a lot of hospital buildings are quite old, particularly in London, and many don't have air conditioning and windows that don't open - so they are really hot." Some employees still need to wear PPE, such as plastic gowns, masks, and gloves, on top of their regular attire, which, as you can expect, causes workers to quickly become overheated and dehydrated.