# Britain on course for hottest day on record Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-07-18 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Britain Braces for Record Heatwave: Train Cancellations, Meta Description: Britain set to reach record-breaking 40C temperatures, urging public to stay at home. Train services cancelled, schools closing amidst national emergency. URL: https://financedigest.com/britain-on-course-for-hottest-day-on-recordhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-07-18t091601z1lynxmpei6h0a7rtroptp4europe-weather-britain-1736815577277-compressed.jpg) By Kate Holton and Muvija M LONDON (Reuters) -Britain was on course for its hottest day on record on Monday with temperatures forecast to hit 40C for the first time, forcing train companies to cancel services and some schools to close while ministers urged the public to stay at home. Much of Europe is baking in a heatwave that has pushed temperatures into the mid-40s Celsius (over 110 Fahrenheit) in some regions, with wildfires raging across tinder-dry countryside in Portugal, Spain and France. Britain’s [government triggered a “national emergency” alert as temperatures on Monday and Tuesday were forecast](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-minister-says-government-will-work-with-obr-on-economic-forecasts.html "UK minister says government will work with OBR on economic forecasts") to surpass the 38.7C (102F) recorded in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in 2019. By midday, readings of almost 35C were being recorded in southern England. We’ve got a difficult 48 hours coming,” Kit Malthouse, a [minister in charge of government](https://www.financedigest.com/growth-will-pay-for-uk-government-spending-plans-minister-says.html "Growth will pay for UK government spending plans, minister says") coordination, told BBC radio. He will later [chair a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee](https://www.financedigest.com/us-house-committee-chair-concerned-by-tesla-deals-in-china.html "US House committee chair ‘concerned’ by Tesla deals in China"). The national [rail network urged passengers not to travel unless necessary and said some services – including a key route between northeastern England and London](https://www.financedigest.com/immediate-lift-of-oxford-property-prices-to-result-from-new-direct-high-speed-rail-connection-with-london.html "“Immediate lift” of Oxford property prices to result from new direct high speed rail connection with London") – would not run during parts of Tuesday. London’s metro network [imposed temporary speed restrictions](https://www.financedigest.com/chinas-covid-resurgence-spurs-new-curbs-foxconn-imposes-restrictions.html "China’s COVID resurgence spurs new curbs, Foxconn imposes restrictions"), meaning it would run a reduced service with journeys taking longer than normal. It urged [commuters to stay at home](https://www.financedigest.com/bucks-buyers-find-commuter-haven-of-homes-in-long-crendon.html "Bucks Buyers Find Commuter Haven Of Homes In Long Crendon"). Jake Kelly from [Network Rail said he hoped normal operations](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-network-operators-monetise-television-quickly-and-effectively.html "How can network operators monetise television quickly and effectively?") would resume on Wednesday, when temperatures are forecast to fall, but that would depend on “the damage that the weather does to the infrastructure over the next couple of days. HIGH ALERT The government urged schools to stay [open but many were due to close](https://www.financedigest.com/andalucian-open-returns-to-costa-del-golf-as-golfers-go-in-search-of-the-perfect-pad-close-to-the-fairway.html "Andalucian Open returns to ‘Costa del Golf’ as golfers go in search of the perfect pad close to the fairway") earlier than usual, normal uniform demands were ditched and end-of-term sports days were cancelled. Some schools were shut, resorting to lockdown-style online lessons. The public were warned not to swim in open water to cool off, with police in northeast [England saying](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-says-it-will-unwind-bond-market-intervention-once-risks-have-subsided.html "Bank of England says it will unwind bond market intervention once risks have subsided") on Monday they had recovered a body believed to be that of a 13-year-old boy who got into difficulty in a river. At least one major zoo, at Chester, said it would close for two days, while London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo said many animals would be able to retreat to “cool zones” and some exhibits might be closed. Some factories also brought their opening hours forward, to prevent [workers on the hottest jobs](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-job-growth-regains-momentum-worker-shortages-persist.html "U.S. job growth regains momentum; worker shortages persist"), such as welding, from falling ill. The Health Security Agency (UKHSA) [raised the heat health warning to Level 4 for England](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-to-raise-rates-by-50bps-again-to-tame-inflation-reuters-poll.html "Bank of England to raise rates by 50bps again to tame inflation: Reuters Poll") for Monday and Tuesday for the first time ever. Britain’s Meteorological Office defines a Level 4 alert as a national emergency, to be used when a heatwave “is so severe and/or prolonged that its effects extend outside the health and [social care](https://www.financedigest.com/tmwi-appointed-by-zeiss-vision-care-to-drive-integrated-paid-social-campaigns.html "tmwi appointed by ZEISS Vision Care to drive integrated paid social campaigns") system. At this level, illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy, and not just in high-risk groups”. The [Met Office](https://www.financedigest.com/winter-weather-could-be-mild-german-met-office-dwd-says.html "Winter weather could be mild, German met office DWD says") said “substantial” changes in working practices and daily routines would be required, and there was a high risk of failure of heat-sensitive systems and equipment, potentially leading to localised loss of power, water or mobile phone services. Malthouse said the government was prepared for the extreme weather and would seek to [learn lessons](https://www.financedigest.com/learning-the-lessons-of-the-bangladesh-bank-heist.html "LEARNING THE LESSONS OF THE BANGLADESH BANK HEIST") from it. We definitely need to adapt the way we build buildings, the way we operate and look at some of our infrastructure in the light of what seems to be an [increasing frequency](https://www.financedigest.com/christmas-saved-for-expats-flights-frequency-to-increase-by-256.html "Christmas saved for expats: Flights frequency to increase by 256%") of these kinds of events,” he said. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Michael Holden; Editing by William Schomberg and Alex Richardson) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---