Red Extreme Heat Warning Issued
A red warning for extreme heat has been issued for Thursday, with temperatures in parts of Wales and England expected to reach as high as 36C.
More than 840 schools across Wales are closed on Thursday due to the soaring temperatures.
The Met Office has issued this red warning covering parts of Wales and England, prompting significant disruptions and safety advisories.
Rail passengers have been advised to travel only if "absolutely necessary" on Thursday and Friday as the heat places considerable strain on the railway infrastructure.
Jake Kelly, representing Network Rail, stated that the heat is causing a "significant strain" on the railways. He urged passengers to stay safe by planning their journeys ahead and staying hydrated.
School Closures Across Wales
The number of school closures continues to rise in west and mid Wales, with Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Powys reporting an increased number of closures on Thursday.
Four schools in Pembrokeshire have also closed, while Swansea, Cardiff, and Rhondda Cynon Taf councils have seen a rise in closures.
Overnight temperatures in Cardiff did not fall below 23.5C, contributing to the ongoing heat stress.
Transport Restrictions and Service Reductions
Transport for Wales (TfW) has imposed restrictions on several lines on Thursday, including services from Chester to Wrexham, Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury, Machynlleth to Pwllheli, Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale, Bridgend to Maesteg, and Cardiff to Penarth.
Due to a shortage of trains caused by the extreme heat, fewer services than usual will operate between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury and between Machynlleth and Pwllheli.
The railway line between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog remains closed.
Network Rail has announced that trains will run at reduced speeds and on amended timetables, which will likely result in longer journey times and an increased risk of disruption.
Attendees at concerts held at the Blackweir Fields outside venue in Cardiff have been urged to look out for one another during the heatwave.
A 'Frightening and Uncomfortable' Experience
On Wednesday, climate scientist Mary Gagen from Swansea University described Wales as "absolutely not prepared" for the consequences of the extreme heat sweeping the country.
She characterized the red heat warning issued for Wednesday and Thursday as "frightening," with temperatures expected to reach 36C. The Met Office has extended the red extreme heat warning until 23:59 on Thursday evening.
"Our infrastructure is absolutely not prepared for this," Mary Gagen said.
Welsh government's deputy minister for public and preventative health, Nerys Evans, referred to the situation as a "heat emergency."
Gagen noted that having two heatwaves in close succession is "really unusual," referring to the heatwave in May and the current one.
"Actually, for me on a personal level, as I'm walking around, it feels like the first time in my life that I can physically feel climate change. And it's quite frightening, actually. It's an uncomfortable experience."
Mary explained that the country is experiencing "tropical nights" caused by a "heat dome" effect.
"Each one of those events, whilst, sure, it's a feature of a heatwave and we do get heatwaves in this country, each of them has a climate change element behind it that's making it more intense," she said.
"It's preparedness, it's having cool spaces in our cities. It's having buildings that can cope with the heat. And we are really learning in this heat event that we are absolutely not prepared. We're seeing school closures. If you are trying to manage ill people on a ward in our hospitals that doesn't have air conditioning, you're going to find this very uncomfortable. So, we really have a long way to go. Our infrastructure is absolutely not prepared for this."
Climate Context and Future Projections
Steffan Messenger, Wales environment correspondent, noted that heat-related records have been breaking in Wales, highlighting concerns about the changing climate.
This month's extreme heat follows the warmest May day on record just weeks ago.
Last summer was recorded as the hottest on record in Wales, and 10 of the warmest years documented in the country have occurred since the early 2000s.
Climate scientists warn that hotter summers will become "the new normal" in the coming decades, with heatwaves becoming more frequent and intense.
Modelling from the Met Office, released to mark the 50th anniversary of the notable 1976 heatwave, suggests that a similar event in 2056 could see temperatures reaching 41C in Wales.
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