A heat blast from Iberia is set to bring record-breaking temperatures to Huddersfield on Monday and Tuesday, posing a potential risk to life.

Salendine Nook-based weather expert Paul Stevens says the extreme heat will start to build on Sunday and could peak early next week at around 37C or 38C, which is 100F.

The Met Office has issued a red warning for extreme heat across large swathes of England when the thermometer could hit 40C in the South East for the first time.

The red warning means a “danger to life” when “adverse health effects” may be experienced by anybody not just those most vulnerable.

Met Office-trained Paul said the highest temperature ever recorded in Huddersfield was 33.2C on July 25 2019 and that was likely to be broken on Monday and Tuesday.

“We are talking really exceptional heat and we saw this heat blast with temperatures of up to 40C coming two weeks ago,” said Paul. “Usually when these weather events appear on the computer models so far out they are scaled back as they come closer.

“But these computer models have got it right as this southerly plume comes up from Iberia where we could see temperatures of 45C in Portugal.

“We thought we may see 40C in the Midlands or the South East and not get anything like that in Yorkshire, however we are looking at around 38C. I can’t even believe I am saying that.

“And, don’t forget, when weather forecasters talk about temperatures they are talking about temperatures in the shade, not out in the full glare of the sun.”

Paul said the extreme temperatures showed how climate change had accelerated more than the scientists had thought.

“In less than three years we will have broken another record and before that the previous hottest days were in 2003 and 1990,” he said. “In the last 10 years we have had six of the hottest summers.

“It is incalculable the speed that climate change seems to be happening. We could soon be moving towards 50C and we were expecting that not to happen until the 2040s or 2050s, not the 2020s, but here we are.

“Climate change isn’t a gradual thing, it has moved up a notch. It’s like changing gear in a car. It looks like we’ve had a real step change.

“It’s the biggest issue in the world today. The pandemic was a trigger that exposed our weaknesses and the human race has to come together to deal with it.”

Paul said Saturday would be a lovely day with temperatures of 22-23C but the heat would rise on Sunday to 30C (86F) followed by 34-35F on Monday and as high as 38F on Tuesday.

By Wednesday morning the heat plume will be on the way out and there could be thunderstorms later on Wednesday before temperatures crash back down by the end of the week.

Landscape images by: SEAN DOYLE