Emergency COBRA meeting called ahead of 3-day 102F ‘exceptional’ heatwave

14 July 2022, 13:59 | Updated: 14 July 2022, 14:44

The Government has called an emergency CORBA meeting ahead of soaring temperature which could top 40 degrees Celsius at the start of next week.

The latest's ministers meeting comes amid fears of hosepipe bans and restrictions on showers as rivers across the UK dip to 'exceptionally low' levels.

Over the last week the UK has been baking in intense heat and temperatures expected to soar to around 40C at the tail end of the weekend.

Dramatic images from weather forecasting firm MetDesk show how high the mercury could reach on Monday – with some parts forecast for a maximum temperature of 38C or 37C.

Read more: 'Danger to life' heat warning issued as Brits face '33C' temperatures and fires break out

"There are still some extraordinary temperatures being modelled for early next week!

"Here are the maximum temperatures on Monday from a selection of weather models this evening with a good chance of Tuesday being even hotter!

"The UK record of 38.7⁰C is very much under threat!"

Newly-installed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse was due to chair a Cobra meeting in response to the heatwave this afternoon.

The Met Office believes temperatures are likely to climb above 35C in some parts of the UK.

It has issued an amber extreme heat warning, designed to "highlight impacts to protect lives, property and infrastructure, has been issued for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday".

Read more: UK braces for record-breaking 43C scorcher as heat warning issued

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the move was a "progression" of the "significant work " that had already been done to prepare.

The spokesman said that there were a number of contingency measures which have been enacted or are ready to be enacted.

The spokesperson added that there were "tried and tested" plans in the NHS for increasing staffing in relevant areas.

"There have already been some co-ordination meetings at official level across Government," the spokesman said.

"This is a progression of that to ensure that - as we come into what are predicted to be the hottest days - that the necessary mitigations and actions are in place or being but in place.

"A lot of this is making sure the public are aware of the advice that is available - particularly those with young children or vulnerable family members."

It comes after on Wednesday London Mayor Sadiq Khan has triggered a severe weather emergency response, typically activated when temperatures plummet to freezing in the winter, to support rough sleepers in the capital in the heatwave.

Read more: Fury as nurses 'banned from drinking water or using fans' as heatwave sweeps across UK

City Hall has written to all London boroughs and rough sleeping services to ask them to conduct welfare checks on vulnerable people and provide sunscreen, water and information about staying cool and safe in the high temperatures.

Mr Khan said: "This ongoing heatwave could be dangerous for anyone, but for people sleeping rough, there are additional risks.

"Across the capital, we are taking action to assist those forced to sleep rough in these extremely high temperatures, by increasing welfare checks, providing plenty of water and sunscreen, and ensuring people sleeping rough know where to access cool spaces and water fountains."

Today farmers warned they face a 'significant challenge' with the heat, with many already using around a third more water for their crops.

The public have also been told to take shorter showers after the lowest rainfall in more than a 25 years in parts of the UK.

At the moment the UK's temperature record is 38.7C, set at Cambridge Botanic Garden back in July 2019.

This could be "obliterated" next Sunday, with temperatures possibly exceeding 40C, forecasters warned.

Anglian Water is calling on residents to be aware of how much water they use as the heatwave continues.

The River Waveney is currently at only 30 per cent of its normal flow the Environment Agency has classified the Waveney's flow rate as 'exceptionally low', while the River Great Ouse in Ely, Cambridgeshire; the River Yare in Norfolk; and the Little Ouse in Thetford are all now labelled 'notably low'.

Now millions of households in Yorkshire have been urged to cut water use or face the prospect of a hosepipe ban.