While temperatures above 30ºC are not uncommon in Australia, a “rare extreme heat warning” has been issued in the UK and Wales five days before it could reach 35ºC in some areas.
The Met Office has issued an Amber extreme heat warning for Sunday 17 July, warning UK residents that “temperatures could be above 35ºC in the south-east, and more broadly around 32ºC”.
The authority advises people: “Hot weather can pose a risk to your health, especially for the most vulnerable people,” warning of sunburn, heat exhaustion, heavy traffic and possible impacts on train lines .
People are told to stay indoors whenever possible and drink plenty of water.
Temperatures are classified as “exceptionally high” in the UK, where regular summer temperatures reach a maximum of 22ºC.
The country’s record maximum temperature was 38.7 ºC, which was reached at the Cambridge Botanical Garden on July 25, 2019.
The UK and Wales are already experiencing a much warmer climate than usual this summer, with many areas of south and central England in Wales suffering from a heat wave.
Heathrow Airport, west London, recorded temperatures of 31.8ºC on Monday.
Previously, it was the place of the hottest day in the UK so far this year, on June 17, when it was 32.7 ºC.
A woman sunbathes on Primrose Hill on July 10, 2022 in London, England. (Getty)
The Met Office has reported that warmer weather is expected to remain for much of the week for most of England and Wales.
“Heat warnings have now been issued for health in most parts of the country, with temperatures that will remain consistently high throughout the week,” said Dr. Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA.
Meteorological Bureau deputy meteorologist Rebekah Sherwin said on Tuesday that temperatures “are likely to reach a maximum of 33 ºC in the southeast.”
However, temperatures are likely to only reach 20ºC maximum on Wednesday and Thursday.
Londoners flooded the parks and people flocked to the beaches of Wales on Monday to enjoy the rare heat.
People enjoy the warm weather on Barry Island Beach, Wales, on Monday 11 July 2022. (AP)
Many people have used social media to make fun of the UK’s reaction to temperatures, comparing them to much warmer conditions in the rest of Europe, Asia and Australia.
“Why do we always have warnings and closures, etc. when there’s some heat?” someone shared on Twitter.
“There’s no extreme heat. It’s summer,” another posted.