Three dead in European 'hell' heatwave as Britain braces for 31c weekend temperatures
At least three people have died in France in the heatwave dubbed ‘hell’ sweeping across Europe.
The ‘Saharan Bubble’ weather system is forecast to cause temperatures as high as 45 degrees in Paris by Friday.
According to reports, three people have died in France so far this week in the south of the country - one on Monday and two yesterday - after diving into the sea to cool off causing their deaths by ‘cold shock’.
Temperatures in Britain over Friday and Saturday are expected to top 30 degrees as the heatwave arrives over the Channel.
The west of the country will get the best of the weather on Friday, before that switches to the east of England the following day.
Glastonbury festival is likely to have temperatures in the high 20s over the weekend.
France is introducing safety measures such as temporary fountains and longer opening hours for public pools.
A heatwave in the country in 2003 was blamed for 15,000 deaths, many of whom were elderly.
Met Office forecaster Matthew Box said: “There is an enormous reservoir of warm air across Europe at the moment. On Friday we will have high pressure over the UK and low pressure out in the Atlantic, and that will bring settled weather conditions across the UK and an easterly flow of air across the southern half of the country.
“Those easterly winds are drawing that warm air from the near continent and that reservoir across the UK and that’s why we’re getting those warm temperatures.
“We are looking at 28 or 29 degrees (82-84F), perhaps peaking at 30 here or there on Friday and that will be across western or south-western parts of the UK.
“Then we could see 30 or 31 across eastern areas of England; London and the Home Counties through Lincolnshire and parts of Yorkshire, on Saturday.”
The high temperatures in Europe are being caused by what has been dubbed the ‘Saharan bubble’, a 3,200km-wide plume of hot air which has blown in from North Africa.
Meteorologist Silvia Laplana tweeted a graphic of the scorching temperatures heading to Europe this week along with the message: “El infierno [hell] is coming”.
El infierno is coming. pic.twitter.com/j0iGEYF0ge
— Silvia Laplana (@slaplana_tve) June 24, 2019
Britain will be left relatively unscathed, with unsettled weather moving in from the Atlantic on Sunday.