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

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

Some time 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.

Transportation problem

The country is one of several countries in Europe experiencing heatwaves. On the eve of a heatwave, British authorities have for the first time issued a red alert for extreme heat in the country. The British Meteorological Institute said earlier that there would likely be danger to life and health.

Meteorologists say temperatures may rise even more during Tuesday.

Heatwaves have also caused problems for rail traffic in the country. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was concerned that the railroads would not withstand the extreme heat.

He told the BBC the country’s transport system was not built for such a hot climate. Shapps was concerned that some railroad tracks could be damaged by the heat, and that someone therefore had to prevent trains from running over them and risking derailment.

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

Meteorologists have previously said that climate change is to blame for the heatwaves, and they fear there could be more frequent and more intense episodes of extreme weather in the coming years.

Hot record in France

Germany was also hit hard by the heat wave. Drought and high temperatures have increased the risk of forest fires in some places. In 10 of Germany’s 16 states, the forest fire danger is 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 one cigarette butt can cause a large fire.

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

In France, several hot records were recorded on Monday. In a total of 64 areas, record high temperatures were measured.

Most of the peaks were recorded along the west 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, the record still stands.

Wild boar bathing on the golf course

Near the Spanish capital, Madrid, firefighters and rangers have been given a somewhat unusual task due to the heat wave.

Reuters wrote that wild boars weighing around 100 kg were seen on the golf course, making their way to a small pond to bathe. The wild boar jumped to swim, but struggled to get out of the water.

Firefighters and rangers managed to drive the boar back to land, and moved it to a nearby forest area.

The heat wave in Europe is producing extremely high levels of dangerous ozone pollution, the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) warns.

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 be bad for human health and plants.

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