UMVA has learned that London is bracing for a scorching heatwave, with temperatures expected to soar to a record-breaking 39C, potentially making June the hottest on record.
The Mayor of London has issued a high air pollution alert for Monday, warning residents to take precautions to mitigate the predicted poor air quality, which could have severe consequences for vulnerable individuals.
Londoners have been urged to reduce car journeys and avoid engine idling to help minimize the impact of pollution, which is expected to combine with hot, sunny weather and pollution from continental Europe to raise ozone levels.
The capital and much of southern and central England have been placed on an amber alert for extreme heat for four consecutive days, with the Met Office warning of 'adverse health effects' that could affect the wider population, including sunburn and heat exhaustion.
The mercury is forecast to rise to 38C by Tuesday in London and stay at that level until Thursday, sparking concerns about the potential for power cuts and disruptions to services as heat-sensitive equipment and systems are at risk of failing.
If the predicted temperatures are realized, it would mark a significant milestone, beating the previous highest figure of 35.6C, which was reached in 1976 in Southampton and in 1957 in Camden Square, London.
The UK has already experienced its hottest spring on record, with temperatures tipping over 30C in May, and last year's summer was the hottest since records began, with a mean temperature of 16.1C recorded between June and August.
A Met Office meteorologist warned that extreme weather events are becoming 'more frequent' due to climate change, stating that 'that's unfortunately just the way things are going at the moment and it doesn't seem to be slowing down'.
