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Extreme heat wave prompts country’s first ‘red weather’ warning!

The Met Office in the United Kingdom (UK) issued the first-ever red severe heat warning for portions of England, including London, next week, as temperatures have continued to rise in recent days. Temperatures might reach 40 degrees Celsius, resulting in a red warning, the Met Office’s highest level of alarm. The unprecedented warning suggests that there is a threat to life in all age groups and is classified as a national emergency.

‘We’ve just issued the first-ever red warning for excessive heat for Monday and Tuesday,’ said Met Office spokeswoman Grahame Madge. ‘ The advisory extends from London through Manchester and on to the Vale of York… If we reach 40 degrees Celsius, it will be a watershed moment that proves climate change is here to stay. Climate change makes this far more likely,’ he added.

The Met Office cautions that ‘adverse health impacts’ may occur for many people, and that they will not be restricted to those who are most sensitive to excessive heat. Penny Endersby, chief executive of the Met Office, called the excessive heat expected ‘totally unusual’ and encouraged the public to heed the warnings.

‘Our lives and infrastructure are not prepared for what is to come.  Please take these warnings as seriously as you would a red or amber warning from us for wind or snow, and heed the instructions,’ Enderby warned. ‘ Stay out of the sun, keep your home cool, and consider changing your plans during the alert time,’ she said. The UK’s national meteorological service also warned that there is a significant danger of heat-sensitive systems and equipment failing, potentially resulting in localized power outages and the loss of key services such as water or even mobile phone service. The public has also been cautioned to expect vehicle delays, as well as disruptions to rail and air travel.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also issued a level four heat alert, which it defines as ‘when a heatwave is sufficiently severe and/or persistent that its impacts extend beyond the health and social care system’.  This means that fit and healthy persons, as well as high-risk populations, may be vulnerable to sickness and mortality, according to the UKHSA. ‘The hot weather is being considered as a national emergency, and contingency arrangements have been put in place,’ Downing Street stated. The existing amber warning has been extended to the remainder of England, Wales, and portions of Scotland for the rest of the United Kingdom.

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