Roads melted, train tracks buckled and there were fears that the country would run out of suncream.
It was a week that threatened to break all-time temperature records, and included the year’s hottest day so far, when Santon Downham in Suffolk saw temperatures of 33.3C.
As thunderstorms – predicted to arrive on Friday afternoon across much of England – look set to grant a reprieve from the heat, here’s how the papers covered the week’s hot temperatures.
Tomorrow's front page: Britain faces a future of baking summers every year for decades, experts warn pic.twitter.com/vYKaZ98fyY
— The Sun (@TheSun) July 26, 2018
The week provided great scope for the pun-loving headline-writers at the Sun, whose headline today is “Bake to the future”.
The Daily Star also had fun with the weather, with their mouthful of a headline on Monday: “Brits go loco as it’s hotter than Acapulco”.
Monday’s Daily STAR: “Brits Go Loco As It’s Hotter Than Acapulco” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/5DHVrPF3g1
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) July 22, 2018
On Tuesday, most of the papers carried the Met Office’s warning for people to stay out of the sun. The Sun’s headline that day was “Hazard warming”, the Mirror reported: “Britain in 95F meltdown”.
THE GUARDIAN: Warning of threat from Isis women #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/RZTDkcn2gT
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 23, 2018
EXPRESS: Stay out of the Sun till Friday #nomoresun #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/G4q9PuODHT
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 23, 2018
MIRROR: Eye Test to beat dementia #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/GNcq9VYYh5
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 23, 2018
The Daily Mail seemed to object to the Met’s warning, calling it evidence of a “nanny state”. Its main story on Tuesday was about hospitality industry leaders and MPs telling people to get out and enjoy the weather, under the headline: “Tourism chiefs’ fury at Summer killjoys”.
A day later, however, the Daily Mail was reporting that “Britain’s in meltdown!” They said hospital were in chaos, and “farmers warned of crops parched to the bone”, but posted a delightful photograph of Camilla, duchess of Cornwall and Judi Dench enjoying what appear to be soft serve flake ice cream cones together.
DAILY MAIL: Britain’s in Meltdown! #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/pEH8QySLW9
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 24, 2018
Many newspapers’ front pages were dominated on Wednesday by news of the tragic fires in Greece, the Sun’s main story combined reports of the fires and the British heatwave under the headline: “The world’s on fire”.
The biggest story of our time—GLOBAL WARMING—rarely makes front page news. The Sun gets it right for once #ClimateChange #WorldOnFire #ClimateChangeIsHereAndNow #KeepFossilFuelsInTheGround pic.twitter.com/93Nnsiq9SA
— Noel Healy (@DrNoelHealy) July 25, 2018
The Daily Telegraph warned on Thursday: “Britain at the mercy of deadly heatwaves”, as MPs warned that the country’s homes, offices, schools and transport system were ill-prepared to weather like that endured this week.
They also carried an excellent photograph of sweat dripping off the face of a member of the Queen’s Guard during a changing of the guard parade, with the headline “It ain’t half hot, Ma’am”.
TELEGRAPH: Johnson warned of Isil death penalty risk #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/n5BRqHIQXF
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 23, 2018
Though temperatures were predicted to break all records today, it looks like “Furnace Friday”, as the Daily Mail dubbed it on their front page on Thursday is unlikely to eventuate, as thunderstorms break the heatwave.
Thursday’s MAIL: Furnace Friday! #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/CSjOWg2e3I
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) July 25, 2018
