Amber heat health alerts have been issued for eight regions of England as temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-30s Celsius this week, according to The Independent. The alerts, which run from 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 11, until 9 p.m. Friday, August 14, cover the South East, South West, West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, London, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber. A yellow heat health alert is also in place for the North East.
Temperature Forecast
The Met Office expects heat to build throughout the week, with Jason Kelly, the chief forecaster, describing the event as a fairly widespread heatwave for England
. Temperatures are predicted to exceed 30C on Wednesday across an area spanning from Somerset and east Wales to South Yorkshire and across England, with the highest temperatures reaching 31 to 33C in the south-east and Midlands.
By Thursday and Friday, the BBC reports that extreme heat is most likely in the Midlands and eastern and south-east England, where temperatures could hit 35 or 36C. This would mark the first time in recorded history that temperatures above 35C have been recorded in the UK for four consecutive months.
Overnight temperatures are expected to remain high, with minimums potentially staying between 16 and 18C across Wales and England. There is a possibility of a “tropical night” in south-east England, where temperatures do not drop below 20C.
Environmental and Health Impacts
The heat arrives as more areas of England face drought. Farmers have warned of a lack of livestock feed and a brutal harvest
for crops, while reservoirs have run low. Wildfires have also impacted the Cairngorms in Scotland, the Pennines, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, and Dunwich Heath in Suffolk. In Hampshire, more than 120 firefighters worked Monday to contain a blaze affecting one square kilometre of heathland in the New Forest.
Health officials have urged social and health care services to prepare, noting that warmer weather can lead to serious health outcomes for those with existing health conditions and older adults. The public is encouraged to check on vulnerable friends and family and avoid the sun during the hottest parts of the day.
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