Met Office issues parody Wimbledon 2059 forecast as climate warning

Fake forecast contains ‘plausible’ summer temperature predictions based on ‘high emissions scenario’

Sweltering temperatures of up to 40C are “predicted” for the Wimbledon tournament in 2059 during a weather forecast spoof that serves as a warning over climate change.

The Met Office has released a parody weather forecast set in British summertime almost 40 years in the future.

The first Saturday of the tennis tournament in south-west London will see highs of 40C during the day, meteorologist Aiden McGivern says in the spoof video posted on Twitter and YouTube .

He describes a “thrilling first week at Wimbledon” but says a daytime temperature averaging 32C for “most days” is “beginning to take its toll on players”.

Mr McGivern also “predicts” that there will be “uncomfortable” overnight temperatures in the mid-20s.

The Met Office stressed that the video was not a real forecast but contained examples of “plausible” weather based on a “high emissions scenario”.

“Thankfully this isn’t a real forecast,” Mr McGivern says in the clip.

“But it is one scenario of how a summer heatwave could affect the UK in 40 years time.

“These are words that express uncertainty, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security.

“Much of the uncertainty is because the climate in the 2050s depends partly on how we reduce global greenhouse emissions in the years to come.”

Millions of people across the world will be exposed to “dangerous levels of heat” on a daily basis, Mr McGivern adds.

It comes as the All England Club (AELTC) – in partnership with the Met Office, the BBC and the Cop26 climate conference – announced at Wimbledon that 1 July will be Environment Day.

Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said: “We believe that the AELTC and the championships have a meaningful role to play in helping to protect the environment, today and for the future.

“Changes to our climate are accelerating and we have a responsibility to play our part, mitigating our own impacts, ensuring we have a climate resilient estate for the future and using our influence to support this important cause.”