Throw the duvet away, it gets 30C at night! And it can be hotter than the Sahara during the day…

Throw the duvet away, it gets 30C at night! And it can be hotter than the Sahara during the day…

Throw the duvet away, it gets 30C at night! And it can be hotter than the Sahara during the day… as ministers say schools must stay open despite the heat wave

  • Daytime temperatures will be 40C hotter than in the Sahara
  • The Met Office has issued the UK’s first-ever red weather warning for heat
  • The Cabinet Office has met over fears over NHS capacity and bushfires

Through Daniel Jones and Anna Mikhailova for the Sunday post

Published: | Updated:

Britain will experience its highest nighttime temperature on record tomorrow with highs of 30C (86F).

And over the course of the day, ‘Furnace Britain’ will be hotter than Delhi and the Sahara Desert, with experts predicting the mercury could reach 41C – double the UK’s summer average.

Yesterday, ministers held a Cobra meeting to discuss the health effects of the heat wave after a national emergency was declared – but warned schools not to close.

It is the first warning of red extreme heat in the UK as temperatures rise to 40°C for the first time in history. Meteorologists have given an 80 percent chance that the mercury will surpass the UK’s record of 38.7C set in Cambridge in 2019.

Meteorologists have given an 80 percent chance that the mercury will surpass Britain's record of 38.7°C set in Cambridge in 2019

Meteorologists have given an 80 percent chance that the mercury will surpass Britain’s record of 38.7°C set in Cambridge in 2019

Meteorologists have warned there is a 50 percent chance that temperatures will reach 40°C or higher on Tuesday, most likely along the A1 corridor

Meteorologists have warned there is a 50 percent chance that temperatures will reach 40°C or higher on Tuesday, most likely along the A1 corridor

Secretary of Health Steve Barclay urged the public to watch out for vulnerable family members and neighbors during the coming heat

Secretary of Health Steve Barclay urged the public to watch out for vulnerable family members and neighbors during the coming heat

Crowds take advantage of the warm weather at the annual International Busking Day event in Wembley Park, London

Crowds take advantage of the warm weather at the annual International Busking Day event in Wembley Park, London

A young girl soaks up the sun at Margate Beach on Saturday, July 16. A level three health warning has already been issued, rising to level four in some areas on Monday

A young girl soaks up the sun at Margate Beach on Saturday, July 16. A level three health warning has already been issued, rising to level four in some areas on Monday

A steaming 30C – 15C above average – is expected in London at 1am tomorrow night. The current record temperature at night was 23.9C, set in August 1990 in Brighton

A steaming 30C – 15C above average – is expected in London at 1am tomorrow night. The current record temperature at night was 23.9C, set in August 1990 in Brighton

It is feared that thousands of people could die and the health service has deployed additional ambulance capacity and more 111 call-handlers.

Brighton rocks… as Britain hits the beach

THERE was barely enough room to put down a bath towel on Brighton beach yesterday as around 300,000 people descended on the south coast resort to soak up the sun.

Another 200,000 went to Bournemouth, 150,000 to Blackpool and 150,000 to Great Yarmouth as temperatures rose to 29°C.

Families were expected to spend £4bn this weekend visiting beaches, shops and pubs before the heat becomes too unbearable to venture out next week. The ‘beat the heat’ spree has boosted children’s pool sales tenfold, according to Asda, while Sainsbury’s said it has sold 19 times more fans than usual.

Many ventured into the backyard for a barbecue, with Asda saying it sold 4.5 million sausages and 1.4 million burgers last week.

Aldi predicts it will have sold 2.5 million burgers by the end of the weekend and all supermarkets said they had seen a spike in ice cream demand. Sunscreen sales have also tripled, as shoppers stock up on aloe vera gel for sunburn, according to Holland & Barrett.

Domestic tourism spending on day trips and staycations is expected to exceed £1.5 billion this weekend, VisitEngland’s data trends show. Families are rushing to stock refrigerators to avoid the worst heat tomorrow and Tuesday. Spending trend data shows that households will spend £2bn in supermarkets this weekend.

With Office Chief Executive Penny Endersby said: ‘Here in the UK we are used to treating a hot spell as an opportunity to go play in the sun. This isn’t that kind of weather.’

Health Secretary Steve Barclay urged the public to watch out for vulnerable family members and neighbors and urged people to “take sensible measures with regard to water, shade and cover.”

After chairing the Cobra meeting, Cabinet Minister Kit Malthouse warned that there would be significant transport disruption at the start of the week and urged people not to travel unnecessarily.

He said: ‘For example, the heat will affect the track, forcing the trains to slow down. There may be fewer services. People should be wary of disturbance.

“If they don’t have to travel, now might be a time to work from home.”

Research last week found that people were trying to make the most of air conditioning at work with offices running at 42 percent capacity, the highest level since March 2020.

Some schools have started summer holidays earlier due to the heat, but contrary to unions’ suggestion that some schools should close, government sources told The Mail on Sunday the ‘consensus’ at yesterday’s Cobra meeting was that young people are at risk if they are left at home unattended.

Meteorologists have warned there is a 50 percent chance that temperatures will reach 40°C or higher on Tuesday, most likely along the A1 corridor, which runs from London to Scotland through counties like Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

That would make the UK hotter than the 35C expected in Tamanrasset in the Sahara, and 37C in New Delhi, India. A steaming 30C – 15C above average – is expected in London at 1am tomorrow night. The current record temperature at night was 23.9°C, set in August 1990 in Brighton.

The fire service has warned the public to use caution when disposing of disposable barbecues, charcoal and cigarettes and not to burn yard waste.

Western Europe continues to see record temperatures with wildfires in western France and Spain.

The heat wave in France is expected to peak on Monday, with temperatures soaring above 40C (104F).

In Spain, health ministers say unusually high temperatures of 45C have led to 360 heat-related deaths.