Northamptonshire’s hottest day for 111 years on the cards as forecasters predict 41°C in parts of the county

Weather-watchers' eyes will be on the record books on Monday (July 18) and Tuesday as Northamptonshire is likely to roast in its hottest ever temperatures, beating a heatwave from before World War One.

BBC Weather is predicting 41°C in parts of the county with Met Office red alerts and Government heat-health warnings in force for 48 hours.

Experts fear extreme heat could bring danger to life and bring widespread disruption.

County forecasters @NNweather confirmed the hot spell hitting the county is historic.

Top temperature at the Met Office Pitsford weather station, near Northampton, currently stands at 36.1.1 °C at 4.09pm on 31 July 2020 — but records there date back only to 1998.

@NNweather revealed: “Northamptonshire’s official highest recorded temperature is 36.7°C at Raunds on August 9, 1911 — which was also the UK’s highest temperature for 79 years.

“It’s likely this was exceeded in July 2019 in the east of the county when several private weather stations recorded 38°C.”

Raunds' record was finally beaten in 1990 when thermometers reached 37.1°C in Cheltenham, but has only been topped five times according to the Met Office.

The UK's current record is 38.7°C at Cambridge Botanic Garden on July 25, 2019.

Met Office chief meteorologist, Paul Davies, has told Sky News he has never seen weather charts like those coming through on Monday.

He said: “Tuesday is the day we are very concerned about.

“I’ve been a meteorologist for about 30 years and I’ve never see the charts that I’ve seen today.

“As a meteorologist, to see the brutality of the heat that we’re expecting tomorrow is quite astounding.”

While temperatures peak in the mid-afternoon, Mr Davies warned Monday night will be exceptionally hot.

He said: “Overnight, I would recommend that in any way you can, you try to cool yourself down.”

People are being warned to only travel by road or public transport if it is absolutely necessary.

Chief Fire Officer Darren Dovey, who chairs the Northamptonshire Local Resilience Forum said: “I think the simple message is, if you don’t have to travel during this extreme weather, it’s probably best not to as you might put yourself and others at risk.”