Met Office warns of 50:50 chance of 40C summers within next 12 years

• The UK is projected to experience month-long heatwaves in future with temperatures potentially exceeding 45C due to climate change, according to a new Met Office analysis.
• Experts estimate a 50 per cent chance of temperatures reaching 40C within the next 12 years, with 45C considered possible and 46.6C plausible in the same timeframe.
• The study indicates that the likelihood of exceeding 40C has increased 20-fold since the 1960s and has tripled since 2000.
• The Met Office warns of the possibility of up to two-thirds of summer days exceeding the heatwave threshold of 28C in south-east England, with potential for over a month of continuous heatwave conditions.
• Met Office experts emphasise the urgent need for preparation and planning to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures and extreme heat on public health, infrastructure, and the environment.

IN FULL

Month-long heatwaves and 40C temperatures could become UK’s new normal, Met Office warns