The United Kingdom could experience more frequent extreme and prolonged heatwaves due to climate change, the country's meteorological service said as it braced for the first heatwave of the year, AFP reported.

Scientists from the Met Office said the island nation would be exposed to an "increased likelihood of extreme temperatures" above 40 degrees Celsius.

The new study also "highlights how heatwaves in the UK could become longer and hotter due to escalating climate trends," the Meteorological Office added.

According to the study, under the current climate, heatwaves in the UK could last "a month or more."

The UK, known for its frequent rain and mild summers, recorded its first temperature above 40 degrees in 2022.

"The likelihood of temperatures exceeding 40 degrees is increasing rapidly and is now more than 20 times higher than in the 1960s," said Gillian Kay, a senior scientist at the Meteorological Office.

"As our climate continues to warm, we can expect the likelihood to continue to increase," Kay added, noting that there is a 50% chance of a day with a temperature of 40 degrees in the next 12 years.

Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events worldwide will increase as the planet continues to warm as a result of fossil fuel emissions.

The Meteorological Office announced that a heatwave is "likely" across much of the UK this week, with maximum temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius.

"These findings highlight the need to prepare and plan for the consequences of rising temperatures now," said co-author Nick Dunstone.

This year, the UK experienced its warmest spring on record.

It was also the driest spring in over 50 years, with farmers facing damaged crops and the government warning of "extremely low" water reservoir levels.

In May, the Environment Agency's deputy director for water, Richard Thompson, warned that "climate change means there will be more summer droughts in the coming decades." |BGNES