AS the country sizzled in a 36.4C furnace on Friday, Brits are being warned to avoid beaches on Scorcher Saturday as the heatwave is set to stick around for a whole week.
Saturday is set for highs of 37C, but there are fears the emergency services will be inundated as thousands plan to flock to beaches again.
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Weatherman John Hammond, of Weathertrending, told Sun Online: “Unlike last week’s ‘one-day wonder’, this heat is going to hit and hold for the best part of a week in some places.
“Some southern areas will be sitting near 30C for several days in a row, with some uncomfortably warm nights too.
“Temperatures will begin to soar tomorrow, especially across parts of southeast England and East Anglia, where we’ll suddenly jump into the mid-30s Celsius.
“A different story further northwest, with Scotland and Northern Ireland set to see yet another spell of rain, after what’s been a pretty wet week here.
“The weekend will see heat and sunshine spreading north to much of the UK, but again the highest temperatures will be focussed across the southeast.
“There’ll be plenty of sunshine on Saturday, but by Sunday, as humidity rises, thunderstorms may begin to break out.
“Early next week, we’ll see a steamy concoction of hot air, high humidity and scattered thunderstorms, before fresher conditions arrive from the Atlantic by mid-month.”
Bournemouth council slapped a warning on a 13-mile stretch of coastline on Friday over concerns beaches were too crowded to adhere to coronavirus social distancing rules.
Durley Chine, Sandbanks, Mudeford Sandspit, Mudeford Quay, Avon Beach, Friar’s Cliff, Highcliffe Castle and Highcliffe Beach are all among those too packed.
Devon and Cornwall locals are said to be furious as thousands of tourists flocked to the seaside towns as foreign holidays were cancelled due to Covid-19.
Locals and business owners say Salcombe, known as ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’, is heaving and busier than ever before.
And a series of striking images show how the streets have gone from a ghost town to a bustling area where social distancing is extremely difficult.
They include scenes on the narrow shopping streets and the picturesque harbour which were packed with sun-seekers.
The town council said the huge influx has also led to an increase in anti-social behaviour.
And the town’s mayor Nikki Turnton told the BBC in an interview last week that tourists seem to “think they are in a bubble” and that social distancing is being ignored by a “minority who don’t think it counts because they are on holiday”.
A Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council spokesperson said: “Our advice to visitors would be to avoid these areas, turn away and come back another day when it less busy.’’
And there are fears of a repeat today with even more people heading outside to soak up the sun because it’s the weekend.
London saw Friday’s hottest temperatures with Heathrow Airport reaching a sizzling 36.4C and the mercury passing 36.3C at Kew Gardens.
Gatwick Airport and Cambridge also recorded times of 33C with Wiggonholt in West Sussex clocking up 32.9C.
Friday was the hottest August day for 17 years, with the highest temperature recorded at 38.5C at Faversham in Kent on August 10, 2003.
Crowds flocked to coastal resorts, parks and rivers across the country to make the most of the sizzling conditions.
Car parks were packed at Camber in East Sussex with tailbacks bringing roads to a standstill around the famous sandy dunes.
Traffic also clogged roads around Bournemouth as sun-worshippers headed to the coast.
Locals were warned by a councillor to stay away from the centre of one North Wales town as large number of visitors caused “bedlam” and made social distancing “impossible”.
The warning came from Pwllheli councillor Dylan Bullard, who said said: “Pwllheli is bedlam today. If you’re thinking of coming into town, please consider leaving it to later.
“The car parks are full and cars are parked illegally. Social distancing is impossible at the moment and people are queuing to get into shops.”
HM Coastguard said around 70 call-outs had been made across the UK by midday on Friday, which is “above average for this time of year”.
The Coastguard reported its busiest day for more than four years as it dealt with 329 incidents on July 31, when the UK recorded the hottest day of the year and the third warmest on record at 37.8C.
Matt Leat, head of infrastructure and technology lead at HM Coastguard, said: “The coast is very busy today and that’s grown across the morning and will continue to grow as the day goes on.
“Looking back to last Friday (July 31), we are going to hit that many number of call-outs potentially today and this weekend.”
Avoid
Alum Chine Beach
Avon Beach
Boscombe Beach East
Boscombe Beach West
Bournemouth Beach East
Bournemouth Beach West
Branksome Chine
Branksome Dene Chine
Durley Chine
Fishermans Walk
Friar’s Cliff
Highcliffe Beach
Highcliffe Castle
Middle Chine
Mudeford Quay
Mudeford Sandspit
Sandbanks
Shore Road
Southbourne Beach
Open
Canford Cliffs
East Cliff
Flaghead Chine
Manor Steps
Solent Beach
Forecasters predict summer could be saved by a plume of hot air from the continent, making the UK hotter than the Sahara in the next few days.
Brian Gaze, a forecaster at The Weather Outlook, said: “This heatwave is like a blowtorch that will scorch across much of the country.
“It’s going to be a glorious weekend.”
Much of the country will bask in brilliant sunshine but the best weather will be in the South and South East.
Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge told The Sun: “Last July the UK recorded its hottest ever temperature of 38.7C in Cambridge and we cannot rule out that temperatures may rise above that.
“This sudden spike in temperature will see Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Essex get the best of the weather but temperatures will be in the mid-to-high 30s across the country.
“Temperatures will be approaching record-breaking levels today and it is likely to catch a lot of people out, so if people are making plans for the weekend they must remember to pack their sun cream.”
The gigantic plume of warm air is 700 miles wide and originated in the Atlantic Ocean and warmed up over continental France and Spain before making its way here.
It is ramping up Britain’s average summer temperatures for a welcome August heatwave.
The hot air has already reached mainland Europe where Spanish hotspots like Seville are sweltering in 40C.
Forecasters say the blistering temperatures mean the UK will be hotter than Barbados, Alexandria, Egypt and parts of central Africa including Sudan.
Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said the region is braced for an exceptionally busy weekend.
PCC Hernandez said: “Roads, beauty spots and town centres are likely to be exceptionally busy this weekend and we are asking visitors to allow for extra time for their journeys, pack extra suncream and be cautious with their alcohol consumption.
“I particularly want residents and visitors to take extra care around the coast.
“It’s great that tourists can return to Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and the vast majority are well behaved and welcomed by communities that rely on them for their livelihoods.
“I am pleased to be able to offer practical support to those communities that this year have the added complication of Covid-19 regulations.
“With its stunning beaches, vibrant cities and towns and rolling moors the Westcountry has much to offer.”
On Thursday Public Health England issued a heat warning for very high temperatures in the East, London, Southeast England and the Southwest.
Ishani Kar-Purkayastha, at Public Health England, said: “Many of us welcome warmer weather, but some people may find it more difficult to cope.
“People recovering from Covid-19 at home, those who are self-isolating, older people and people with underlying health conditions are all more vulnerable during hot weather.
“This summer, many of us are spending more time at home due to Covid-19.
“A lot of homes can overheat, so it’s important we continue to check on older people and those with underlying health conditions, particularly if they’re living alone and may be socially isolated.
“If you need to provide care to someone at risk from hot weather, follow government guidance on how to do this safely.
“The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and know how to keep their homes cool.”
