When the weather doesn't happen as thought year in year out it's funny how people say we've dodged a bullet just like when there's little snow in winter the old we were unlucky chestnut comes out. Yes i think 40 C would be a one off, unless you genuinely think every July from here on in will hit that temp every year? It's possible yes but by no means a given like some would have us believe. You talk about anomalies, well it could be that these plumes are just that anyway! I'm not stupid, of course there is a warming trend and obviously climate change is happening but the potential jump to regularly hit high 30/40 C in this country is different to other parts of the the world anyway, in the same way we often miss severe winter weather. For climate change to affecting the uk at the rate some are alluding to, shouldn't we be seeing these heatwaves lasting more than just 3 days? The average temp for july is like 21, 22 yeah? well the odd plume here and there isn't like to alter that dramatically. Yet
So hitting high 30's or the magic 40 somewhere today will be a very noteworthy event but it's entirely possible it will be a good number of years before a July day gets that hot again and imho anyone who thinks next year and the year after will be a carbon copy is getting rather carried away.