Forecasters are warning London could face a downpour of 50mm of rain in a matter of hours on what could also be the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures could hit 30C on Friday (June 13), which would make it the hottest day of 2025, surpassing the 29.3C recorded at Kew Gardens on May 1.
This would see London being hotter than Ibiza, Mykonos, and even Los Angeles. Linked to these hot temperatures the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its first yellow heat-health alert of the year, running from 9pm today (Thursday, June 12) to 8am Sunday (June 15) and covering the east of England, East Midlands, London, and the south east.
The Met Office is warning of “quite muggy” conditions on the way as we face a mix of the hot temperatures and thunderstorm conditions. , with up to 50mm of rain possible in a few hours before conditions ease on Saturday morning.
These storms could bring flooding, travel disruption, power cuts, and damage from hail, lightning and gusty winds, forecasters said. Earlier on Friday, conditions are expected to be dry with temperatures between 27 and 28C but there may be highs of 30C if skies remain clear, the Met Office said.
‘Very warm, humid spell’ heading our way
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: “We’ve got a very warm, humid, spell of wet weather to come. It’s all because we’ve got air moving in from the south, so the air is originating across Spain and Portugal and has been moving its way northwards.
“We’re going to see increasingly humid conditions with very warm days and some quite muggy nights as well and the general gist is that western parts of the UK are likely to see the majority of the rain and the thundery showers. But, as we go into Friday, we could see some of that also moving across the east and south east as well for some thunder there for a time.”
‘Heart-health alert’
The first yellow heat-health alert of the year has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as the Met Office forecast temperatures could reach 30C on Friday in the South East. The alert is currently in place from 9pm on Thursday 12 June to 8am on Sunday 15 June and covers the East of England, East Midlands, London and South East regions. Under UKHSA and the Met Office’s Weather-Health alerting system, a yellow alert means that there could be an increased use of health care services by vulnerable populations.
Under UKHSA and the Met Office’s Weather-Health alerting system, a yellow alert means there could be an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people. It may lead to an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 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: “Our findings shows that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“The forecasted high temperatures are expected to be short-lived but could primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions.
“If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.’’
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