Met Office’s first extreme heat warning
The Met Office has issued an extreme heat warning for the first time in the UK.
The amber warning covers large parts of Wales, all of south-west England and parts of southern and central England and will be in place until Thursday evening.
It warns of the potential impact of sweltering conditions on people’s health.
The Met Office has issued its first “amber extreme heat warning” as parts of the UK were forecast to reach 33C.
The warning – which is similar to those issued when heavy rain or snow is forecast – covers a large part of Wales, all of south-west England and parts of southern and central England, and will remain in force until the end of Thursday.
It comes after temperature records were set over the weekend. In England on Sunday, 31.6C (88.88F) was recorded at Heathrow, overtaking Saturday’s record-breaking 30.3C (86.54F) seen in Cotonin-the-elms, Derbyshire.
Wales recorded 30.2C (86.36F) in Cardiff, compared with the high of 29.6C (85.28F) reached in Usk, Monmouthshire, on Saturday.
Scotland reached 28.2C (82.8F) in Threave, in Dumfries and Galloway, on Saturday.
But forecasters said temperatures are expected to climb further early this week, possibly reaching 33C (91.4F) in some western areas, and widely hitting the high 20s and low 30s elsewhere.
The Met Office launched a new Extreme Heat National Severe Weather Warning at the start of June 2021, with warnings to be issued based on the impacts of extreme heat.
Amber and red warnings can now be issued to inform the public of potential widespread disruption and adverse health effects.
Forecasters said the amber warning comes asunusually high temperatures are signalled for western areas in particular, as well as continuing high night-time temperatures which potentially could affect health.
Extreme heat can have health consequences, especially for those who are particularly vulnerable, and it can have an impact infrastructure, including transport and energy, as well as the wider business community.
During hot weather, there is often increased traffic near coastal areas, increased use of open water by the public, and an increase in wildfire risk. Six people drowned in English lakes and rivers over the weekend.
Met Office chief operational meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: “The high temperatures are going to continue through a large part of this week.
“Many areas will continue to reach heatwave thresholds but the amber extreme heat warning focusses on western areas where the most unusually high temperatures are likely to persist.
“There’s a continuing risk of isolated thundery downpours late in the afternoons but most areas will stay dry until later in the week.
“Temperatures should begin to fall for most areas heading into the weekend, with some more unsettled conditions looking to develop.”
Dr Rob Thompson, a meteorologist at the University of Reading, said: “British heatwaves are already hotter and last longer, compared to just a few decades ago.
“We can expect that extreme summer heatwaves of the type that can kill people in the UK will become a regular occurrence.”