The United Kingdom has broken its record for the hottest ever June day for a second day in a row, as an intense spell of heat keeps its grip on the country. According to the report, temperatures climbed to 36.7 degrees Celsius in Somerset this afternoon, the latest in a run of record breaking readings that has pushed services and infrastructure across the country under serious strain.
The severity of the heat has been reflected in the level of official warning attached to it. According to the report, a red weather warning for extreme heat covering London and part of the south east of England has been extended into tomorrow, and this marks the first time that such a warning has been issued for three consecutive days, underlining how unusual the current conditions are.
The impact has been felt sharply in the education system. According to the report, thousands of schools have once again had to close because of the heat, repeating disruption seen on previous days and leaving families to make alternative arrangements as the high temperatures make classrooms difficult and at times unsafe places to be.
Health services have also come under visible pressure. According to the report, several hospitals and ambulance services in England have declared critical incidents, with multiple NHS trusts taking that step as the heat adds to demand, a signal that the system is straining to keep up with the conditions on the ground.
Travel and transport have been disrupted alongside the wider effects. According to the report, the extreme weather has left transport infrastructure struggling, and passengers are again being urged not to travel by train unless their journey is essential, even though most people still have to make their way into work despite the conditions.
The strain on workers has revived a debate about protections in the workplace. According to the report, there is currently no maximum workplace temperature set in law, and with one dry cleaner in Croydon recording more than 33 degrees Celsius on the shop floor, some trade unions, including Unison and the TUC, want the government to introduce legislation so that employees can get some respite from the record breaking heat.
As the day wore on, the pressure on emergency services came into sharper focus. According to the report, the London Ambulance Service said it had recorded the highest number of category one calls, those for the most life threatening situations, in its history the previous day, with its chief executive urging people to take care and stay hydrated, while critical incidents were also declared at hospitals including in Southampton. The report adds that the prime minister said Cobra meetings were being held at official level to monitor the situation, that the National Education Union has called for air conditioning to be made mandatory in schools, and that the RAC said breakdown call outs had been about five times higher than usual.