Has Birmingham hit 40C? This is how hot the city is on warmest day in UK history

Temperatures have reached 40C for the first time on record in the UK and could still increase further.

A temperature of 40.2C was provisionally recorded at London Heathrow, the Met Office has said. The threshold was hit at 12.50pm on Tuesday (19 July) as much of the UK sweltered in a heatwave, with parts of England and Wales under a red warning for extreme heat, posing a danger to life.

The heat is causing disruption on transport networks, school closures and the risk of serious health impacts.

How hot is it in Birmingham?

At 3pm on Tuesday, the temperature in the city hit 39C, according to the Met Office. It’s expected to still be at 37C at 5pm, and 35C by 6pm this evening, with temperatures dropping only slight to 29C and 28C as we head into the late evening.

It will be a bright end to the evening with high temperatures persisting into the first half of the night, andd cloud gradually pushing in from the west as fresher conditions arrive. The minimum temperature will be around 16 °C through the night.

What will the weather be like tomorrow?

It’’s expected to be much cloudier and much less hot on Wednesday (20 July), with isolated showers, potentially heavy and thundery at times. Maximum temperatures of 23 °C.

How to keep cool and stay safe in the heat

The West Midlands Ambulance Service has issued advice on how to be safe in this heat.

Emergency Services Operations Delivery Director, Nathan Hudson, said: “Almost everyone enjoys a sunny day, but the difference this time is that temperatures have the potential to reach levels never before seen in the West Midlands. Heat can cause some very serious health implications if we don’t treat it with respect, particularly for the very young and elderly, but it can affect people of all ages.

“Dehydration is one of the biggest risks – it happens when you lose more fluid than you take in. We all need to drink enough when it’s hot; water and fruit juices are much better than alcohol, which is a diuretic and will speed up dehydration. We already see lots of cases of dehydration in the elderly and the heat will make that worse. Dehydration can lead to breathing problems, confusion, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and may result in patients becoming unsteady on their feet and as a result end up falling which can result in other serious injuries. It can also lead on to heat stroke and a period of being unconscious.

“Dark yellow or strong smelling wee is a good warning sign that you are dehydrated, and you need to act immediately to rehydrate.

“Clearly lots of people want to spend time in our wonderful countryside. If you are going outdoors, please be aware that the sun is at its strongest between 11.00am and 3.00pm. You will need to be prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear, preferably a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. More positively we have seen a rise in the number of people using What3Words which is helping us to identify where patients who have got into difficulty, are.

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