Month-long heatwaves and 40C temperatures could become UK’s new normal, Met Office warns
Met Office warns of 50:50 chance of 40C summers within next 12 years
- The UK is projected to experience month-long heatwaves in future with temperatures potentially exceeding 45C due to climate change, according to a new Met Office analysis.
- Experts estimate a 50 per cent chance of temperatures reaching 40C within the next 12 years, with 45C considered possible and 46.6C plausible in the same timeframe.
- The study indicates that the likelihood of exceeding 40C has increased 20-fold since the 1960s and has tripled since 2000.
- The Met Office warns of the possibility of up to two-thirds of summer days exceeding the heatwave threshold of 28C in south-east England, with potential for over a month of continuous heatwave conditions.
- Met Office experts emphasise the urgent need for preparation and planning to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures and extreme heat on public health, infrastructure, and the environment.