- The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for extreme heat and humidity across parts of England and Wales, effective for Wednesday and Thursday.
- Temperatures are forecast to exceed 37C, potentially reaching 38C to 40C in some areas, with high humidity and very warm nights making overnight recovery difficult.
- The red alert, upgraded from an earlier amber warning on Monday morning, stretches from London across to Somerset and Swansea, and up towards Birmingham.
- Forecasters warn of a risk to life, population-wide health impacts, and significant disruption to daily life, necessitating substantial changes in working practices and routines.
- Expected impacts include a high risk of failure for heat-sensitive systems and equipment, increased water safety incidents in coastal areas, lakes, and rivers, and widespread travel disruptions.
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