The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has raised its heat health alerts to amber for significant portions of England in anticipation of a heatwave during the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Alert levels have been increased to amber for the Midlands, eastern, and south-east England regions, while yellow alerts have been issued for south-west England and northern England. These alerts came into effect on Friday morning and will be in place until 5 pm on Wednesday (May 27).
According to the Met Office, temperatures could reach 33C in south-east England on bank holiday Monday, surpassing the current May record of 32.8C.
The national weather service has cautioned, stating, “The Bank Holiday weekend is expected to experience an extraordinary period of warmth for May with a significant heatwave on the horizon.”
Areas that have been upgraded from yellow to amber alerts include:
Regions that have moved from having no alerts to yellow alerts are:
A yellow health alert indicates that vulnerable groups may be affected by the hot weather, while an amber alert signals that conditions could impact the broader population, including the NHS, with potential travel disruptions.
The UKHSA has issued warnings of a potential rise in fatalities, particularly among individuals aged 65 and above or those with underlying health issues. Increased strain on all health services is also anticipated.
With prolonged high temperatures expected until the middle of the week, the UKHSA advises the public to stay well-hydrated, check on vulnerable family members or neighbors, and take necessary precautions in the sun.
Steve Kocher, Met Office deputy chief forecaster, mentioned, “Temperatures will rise over the weekend, especially in the south, with 30C likely on Saturday and 32C on Sunday. The peak temperatures are forecasted for Monday, with 33C expected in southern England and the Midlands.”
“It is probable that the May and Spring UK temperature records will be broken over the Bank Holiday weekend, with predicted temperatures exceeding the existing record of 32.8C.”
“In addition to the heat, much of the UK will experience dry and sunny weather. However, Northern Ireland and western Scotland may see more cloud cover and some showers throughout the weekend. The western coasts could also have low cloud and sea fog due to relatively cool sea surface temperatures.”
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