Forecasters have warned that this summer could be the hottest on record as a heat dome across Europe brings sweltering temperatures.
Meteorologists have said the development of a heat dome - a mass of stagnant air - could cause temperatures to soar in July and August, giving us a ‘brutal’ summer.
Met Office senior meteorologist Paul Davies told the i that a heat dome could cause temperatures that ‘undoubtedly will be historic and possibly on the scale of summer 2003’.
He added: “It is not hyperbole to say that we could be staring into the eyes of an historic, even unprecedented, event.”
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The 2003 heatwave resulted in the deaths of 70,000 people across Europe, including 2,000 in the UK.
Yesterday, the Met Office issued an amber alert for Sunday 17 July and Monday 18 July, with a potential for record-breaking high temperatures.
The Met Office has warned that some of its models have predicted temperatures in excess of 40°C, smashing the UK's current record high temperature of 38.7°C, recorded at Cambridge Botanic Garden on 25 July 2019.
While those hoping to get a decent night’s kip might be out of luck, with night time temperatures also predicted to hit record highs exceeding 23.9C which was set in August 1990.
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The Met Office said: “Some models have been producing maximum temperatures in excess of 40°C in parts of the UK over the coming weekend and beyond.
“At longer time scales temperature forecasts become less reliable, so whilst these figures can’t be ruled out, they are still only a low probability.
"A number of weather scenarios are still possible and at the current time, mid- or perhaps high-30s are looking more likely.”
This amber warning for extreme heat means it ‘could lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure’.
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Forecaster Matthew Box said: “As we get into Sunday it looks like we could see temperatures rise into the high 20s and into the low 30s as well but potentially a few spots getting 34C or 35C by Sunday and probably the same again on Monday.
“We could see by Monday temperatures getting towards the mid or high 30s and there's about a 30 percent chance we could see the UK record broken, most likely on Monday at the moment.”
It's also been warned that the hot weather could cause severe thunderstorms and flash floods.
Claire Reid