RAC Warns Roads Could 'Melt' As Temperatures Soar Across The UK Next Week
Next week the UK is due to be hit by a heatwave which could get so hot that the roads start to melt.
According to the Daily Star, drivers had better beware that the surfaces they're motoring on may not be as solid as they think as it gets hotter and hotter.
According to the Met Office, the heatwave headed our way will see few changes in the weather meaning temperatures rise day after day to increasingly sweltering levels.
Some parts of the UK will officially be in a heatwave by the weekend, with other areas catching up later on next week.
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England and Wales will see most of the heat, with temperatures climbing high and staying hot over a period as long as 10 days.
Many areas will see the heat rise to 30C, while some places could find it gets as hot as 35C under the relentless glare of the sun.
High pressure means it's warming up this weekend 🌡️
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 7, 2022
Friday is looking hot for some, then whilst temperatures may be a touch down on Saturday, they're set to rise again for Sunday pic.twitter.com/4JrPCpUpqR
Rod Dennis, spokesman for the RAC, warned that the hotter weather could lead to some roads getting softer as the scorching sun makes an impact.
He explained that the higher temperatures had an impact on how hard the roads were, warning that intervention might be needed to keep 'melting roads' safe to drive on.
He said: "As the weather warms up, so too will the roads and you can pretty much guarantee that the road temperature will be significantly hotter than the air temperature.
"The heat can lead to some softening of road surfaces - blacker patches of tarmac is the tell-tale sign.
"If temperatures really shoot up, it might also be the case that gritting trucks will need to be brought out as salt can help improve vehicle grip on melting roads."
As usual the warmest weather has been forecast for the south of England, while some parts of the north won't feel the heat quite as much.
Per The Guardian, British Red Cross director Matthew Killick warned that 'very dangerous' weather is on the way and certain groups should be extra careful.
Young children, the elderly and those with underlying health issues were the most vulnerable to sustained high temperatures.
Killick warned that heat related deaths in the UK could 'treble within 30 years' as heatwaves grew stronger and more frequent, bombarding the most vulnerable with sweltering temperatures.
Meanwhile, the RNLI remined people to be aware of their own safety if they were headed for the beach to make the most of the hot weather.
Joe Harker