It’s so hot the roads have melted and train tracks buckled causing commuter chaos – and it could STILL get warmer
TODAY parts of the UK will bask in temperatures higher than the Maldives with highs of 33C as the June heatwave continues.
The country is on course for its longest heatwave in more than 20 years and possibly the hottest June day for decades.
According to The Mirror, some experts say the blazing heatwave could smash Met Office records for the hottest June day since records began in 1841.
The current record for highest June temperature is the 35.6C in Southampton on June 28, 1976.
Forecasters predict parts of the UK on Wednesday will hit a blistering 35C and could go even higher to break the record.
This week the UK is heading for its longest heatwave in more than 20 years with 30C or higher measured somewhere in the UK on five consecutive days.
Monday was the warmest day of the year so far with sweltering temperatures managing to melt tarmac in Manchester.
The heat peaked at 32.5C (90.5F) in Hampton, South West London, making it the third consecutive day of temperatures reaching beyond 30C - a first since July 2005.
Wales also had its hottest day with 30.6C (87.1F) at Usk, Monmouthshire.
Festival-goers are expected to experience the hottest Glastonbury festival ever while watching the likes of Ed Sheeran and Radiohead later in the week.
Train passengers faced delays after the scorching hot weather caused train tracks to buckle.
Staff at Bristol Temple Meads station announced just before 5pm that some railway tracks warped in the 27 degree heat.
In London, delays flashed up on departure boards at major stations sparking fears of commuter chaos.
There were also delays and cancellations in East Anglia because of speed limits imposed over fears tracks might buckle in the strong sunshine.
Sunday had been the hottest day of the year so far with 32.1C (89.8F) recorded at Hampton Water Works in South-West London.
Nearby Kew was almost as hot at 32C while Wisley, Surrey, basked in 31.6C and Cavendish, Suffolk, recorded 31.4C (88.5F).
Forecasters said today was likely to be even hotter and could smash records dating back decades.
Grahame Madge of the Met Office said this morning: "Yesterday was the hottest day of the year and we are expecting temperatures probably to exceed that today.
"We could possibly see 33C, and we will likely see 29-30C widespread in England.
"It's going to be another very warm day and as we go through the week certainly it's going to remain very warm hovering around 30C in the South and East."
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Thursday is likely to be another scorcher with 33C or higher predicted in London and East Anglia thanks to a 2,000-mile-wide plume of hot air from Spain.
Forecaster Simon Partridge added this evening: "
"There is certainly a chance it will get hotter during the week."
"Some night temperatures will be around 20C, so it won't take much to ramp up the heat when the sun comes up."
This week could see the hottest June day for 22 years if it beats the 33.1C recorded in Gravesend, Kent, on June 27, 2011.
And there is a chance we could beat the 33.8C measured at Worcester on June 30, 1995.
That would make it the hottest June day since the record 35.6C on June 28, 1976, during the epic month-long heatwave and drought that left residents relying on standpipes in the street.
Brits have had no respite from the heatwave overnight with hot and humid conditions making sleep difficult.
At midnight it was 24C at London City Airport - hotter than Istanbul in the daytime - and it will be just as hot tonight.
MeteoGroup forecaster Callum Stewart said: "The highest temperature recorded last night was 24C at London City Airport.
"Temperatures eventually dropped around 4am but they remained in the high teens and low 20s.
"We can expect more warm and humid nights this week as the very warm weather will remain until Friday."
Brits flocked to the coast over the weekend as Southern England was hotter than Bangalore, Casablanca, Phuket and Athens.
And beaches were busy again today - despite the start of the working week - as people made the most of the surprise June heatwave.
The blistering weather - together with uncomfortably warm and sticky nights - prompted Public Health England to issue a warning over fears for the frail and elderly.
The watchdog urged people to keep an eye on vulnerable neighbours who may suffer in the heat.
Dr Thomas Waite said: "For some people, such as older people, those with underlying health conditions and those with young children, the summer heat can bring real health risks.
"That's why we're urging everyone to keep an eye on those you know who may be at risk this summer. If you're able, ask if your friends, family or neighbours need any support."
Malcolm Booth, chief executive of the National Federation of Occupational Pensioners (NFOP), urged people to keep an eye on elderly friends and neighbours.
He said: “Drink plenty even if you don’t feel thirsty, cover up with loose clothing, try and avoid the going outside during hottest parts of the day and seek shade where possible.
“If you have elderly neighbours, try and pop round to make sure they are keeping cool and well.”
RNLI lifeboat crews were dispatched at least 98 times over the weekend - its busiest of the year so far - amid warnings against swimming in the sea.
Experts said the sea is deceptively cold and the shock can cause even strong swimmers to get in trouble.
Motoring experts have warned drivers to take extra care with blazing sunshine likely to push road temperatures to 50C (122F), softening the surface and making skids more likely.
The RAC's Rod Dennis said: “A lengthy spell of hot weather raises the prospect of softening roads on some parts of the network.
“The tell-tale signs are tar patches that look blacker than usual.
“When the air temperature hits about 30°C and the sun is out, road temperature can reach 50C and there is then a risk surfaces can become sticky.
“Drivers shouldn’t be too surprised if they see gritting trucks out as salt can help improve vehicle’s skid resistance.”
And almost 50 services in East Anglia were cancelled as bosses imposed speed limits amid fears rails could buckle in the strong sunshine.
Brits are also at greater risk of sunburn with much higher than usual levels of UV, forecasters said.
Meanwhile parents blasted Whitchurch High School in Cardiff for forcing kids to wear tie clips as part of the uniform - which they claim burned their skin as the metal was baked in the sun.
But it is a different story in Scotland where a cold front has kept temperatures chilly with a maximum of just 13.4C (56C) in Fair Isle on Sunday.
And by next weekend the heatwave in England will be over with temperatures returning to the low 20s, around average for the time of year.
Glastonbury Festival, which starts on Wednesday, is likely to be the hottest since the event began in 1970 - although it could still be muddy by Sunday.
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