UK Hits Record-Breaking Temperatures as Heat Wave Intensifies

Temperatures in the U.K. reached 104.4 degrees Fahrenheit (40.2 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday, marking the national record for the highest temperature ever recorded.

Forecasts predict that temperatures will continue to rise to 107.6 degrees in parts of south England by the afternoon, according to provisional Meteorological Office figures. The U.K. is known to have a humid temperate oceanic climate where summer temperatures typically range from 64 to 77 degrees. 

The Met Office declared a national "state of emergency" this week and warned British citizens that the heat could pose a "threat to life" given that most homes aren't equipped with air conditioning units. Massive wildfires and over 1,000 heat-related deaths were recorded this past week in France, Portugal, Spain and other European other countries. The U.S. and most countries across the globe are experiencing "extreme" heat waves and droughts that are driving up global food prices.

Coverage from left-rated outlets highlighted experts who blamed the record temperatures on climate change and predicted "more frequent extreme weather" events to come. Right-rated outlets were more likely to highlight how environmental activists "smashed windows" at Rupert Murdoch’s London headquarters in response to the "apparent lack of enough alarmist press coverage."