Scientists recorded the hottest day ever logged in history on Sunday.
An expert meteorologist has issued a caution to people in the UK over ‘death zone’ temperatures being brought about by global warming.
Jim Dale is the founder and the senior meteorological consultant at British Weather Services and has over 35 years experience of working within weather impact circles.
On Sunday, the average global temperature reached 17.09 degrees Celsius, which is just above the record set last July.
Last month was the hottest June on record globally.
Off the back of this information, The Mirror spoke to Mr Dale about what these new record-breaking temperatures indicate for the future of UK weather.
Speaking about the current upward trend in global temperatures, Mr Dale said: “In measured human history we’ve just beaten all-time records. It’s a bit of a one-way street. Just because we don’t necessarily share the high profile side of that doesn’t mean we’re not either contributing or at the point where we may start to see what we saw 2 years ago.”
He added: “The way things are going at this moment in time in terms of the acceleration of global temperatures, it is becoming more likely that once we get the right weather scenario 40C will be surpassed again in the near future.”
It may not feel like it at times here in ‘lucky’ temperate UK, but & unless it’s a major impact, such things tend to creep up on us almost unawares. Another 30 deg C day coming very soon.
— BWS/Jim NR Dale (@BritWeatherSvs) July 25, 2024https://t.co/OAERbL52Cd
“50C is probably a long way off given what it’s going to take to get to 50C in our country. If we’re going to see 50C other parts of the world will see 60C, that’s death on sticks,” he continued.
“Many people have died in India and other places due to 50C of heat. It’s a bit of a scary future scenario if nothing is done about fossil fuel emissions. Long before that other parts of the world, tropical and sub-tropical areas will see those other temperatures, 50C, without a question.
“It’s all pointing in the same direction,” he added. “Things just ramp up and things just accelerate. Things are just accelerating beyond control, that’s why we end up with shortages of water, floods, and wildfires.
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“The one thing about the UK…is that we are fairly lucky compared to other parts of the world as in being a temperate climate, surrounded by ocean that means that to get to these critical situations will take a bit of a push.”
Last month, both the Met Office and UK Health Security Agency issued a warning of an increased risk of death among vulnerable people as temperatures rocketed.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan told Sky News that temperatures could rise again ‘right at the end of July’.
He said it is too early to tell if the mercury will top Friday’s reading, but ‘I certainly wouldn’t rule out a higher temperature in August or even later this month’.
There will be ‘occasional very warm or hot spells’ in August but there is ‘no strong signal’ that high temperatures will be prolonged or widespread across the UK, he added.
East and south-east England have already seen ‘almost double’ the rainfall expected for the whole of July.
