The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for two further regions of England, and extended the amber alert currently in place for five others. A yellow HHA has been issued for the North West region.
The amber alert will cover the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions, in addition to the East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England, which have been under an amber HHA since Thursday 26 June. The amber alert will remain in place until 9am on Wednesday 2 July.
A yellow HHA has been issued for the North West, and will also be in place until 9am Wednesday 2 June. The current hot weather is forecast to continue through Monday and Tuesday, with the potential for temperatures as high as 35C in some areas. Some parts of England are also forecast to experience overnight temperatures as high as 20-22C.
Under the Weather-Health Alert system, an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “The current spell of hot weather is forecast to continue until the middle of this week, with temperatures above 30°C likely in most regions of England. We are reminding everyone to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“Remember that it is very important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable, as the temperatures we are likely to see over the next few days can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions.”
The Met Office says temperatures will increase further today, with the peak of the heat expected on Tuesday in the south east of England. Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said: “Temperatures are rising further today with low 30 Celsius widely across England including places like Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Cambridge.
“The highest temperature is expected to be 34C in London and the south east of England. These high temperatures and humid conditions will be quite uncomfortable for those working outside as well as people leaving Glastonbury and attending the start of Wimbledon and other outdoor events. Stay hydrated and try to keep out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.
“It won’t be hot everywhere, with a marked difference in northwestern parts of the UK. Cloud and some heavy rain will affect Northern Ireland and western parts of Scotland through Monday and temperatures will be suppressed to the mid to high teens.
“Tonight temperatures will remain high, with some locations not dropping below 20°C in what is called a tropical night. These sorts of temperatures make it hard to sleep and prevent any recovery from the high daytime temperatures too.
“Tuesday will be another hot day, though the highest temperatures will be more confined to the south east of England where 35°C is possible. Fresher air and some rainfall will move in from the west through the rest of the week, bringing an end to this heatwave, although many parts will remain dry and still see plenty of sunshine”.
There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather, such as:
- keeping your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are goingo do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them
