The previous heat record in the UK was 38.7 degrees and was recorded in 2019. Meteorologists had expected it to break on Tuesday.

The first new record was set at Charlwood, where 39.1 degrees was measured, but this was short-lived.

Sometime later, 40.2 degrees was measured at Heathrow Airport outside London. This is the first time temperatures above 40 degrees have been recorded in the UK.

[ Varmeste natt noensinne i Storbritannia ]

red alert

Ahead of the heat wave, British authorities for the first time issued a red alert for extreme heat in the country. The UK Meteorological Institute said earlier that it was very likely that there would be danger to life and health.

The heat wave also poses a problem for rail traffic in the country. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps fears the railroads will not withstand the extreme heat.

He told the BBC that the country’s transport system was not built for such a hot climate. Shapps was concerned that some of the railroad tracks would break from the heat, and so someone had to prevent the train from running over them and risk derailment.

– We have to be very careful and aware of it. Therefore, there is a reduction in speed in most rail networks.

[ Klimaforsker: – På vei mot 3 graders oppvarming ]

The danger of forest fires in Germany

Germany has also been hit by a heatwave. Drought and high temperatures increase the risk of forest fires in some places. In 10 of Germany’s 16 states, the fire hazard has been set at level five, which is the highest level.

Authorities have urged people to be extremely careful when walking through the forest and have warned that even a single cigarette butt can cause a large fire.

Meteorologists also believe that the country’s record heat of 41.2 degrees could be broken on Tuesday.

[ Halve Europa risikerer tørke ]

Hot record in France

In France, several record heats were set on Monday. In as many as 64 areas, record high temperatures were measured.

Most of the peaks were recorded along the western Atlantic coast, where temperatures rose to over 40 degrees.

The highest temperature on mainland France has been measured to be 46 degrees. It was registered in 2019 in the southern city of Verargues, northeast of Montpellier. Until now, this record still stands.

[ Rekordhøye temperaturer 64 steder i Frankrike ]

Wild boar bathing on the golf course

Near the Spanish capital, Madrid, firefighters and rangers were given a somewhat unusual task, due to the heatwave.

Reuters wrote that a wild boar weighing about 100 kilograms was spotted on a golf course, walking towards a small pool to bathe. The boar jumped to swim, but struggled to get out of the water.

Firefighters and rangers managed to drive the wild boar back ashore, and moved the animal to a nearby forest area.

[ Europa koker i ny hetebølge ]

Danger of high ozone level

Heatwaves in Europe resulted in extremely high levels of harmful ozone pollution, according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).

Ozone is found both near the ground and in the upper atmosphere. High ozone in the atmosphere according to Norwegian Environment Agency absolutely necessary as protection against harmful UV radiation from the sun. But ozone located close to the earth’s surface can have harmful effects on human and plant health.

It is the ozone level in the field that is of concern to experts. In Portugal, Spain and Italy, very high ozone levels have been measured during heat waves.

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