Five UK areas issued urgent heat alerts as Brits braced for record breaking heatwave
Well the tank tops, shorts and flip-flops may have already been taking over the British highstreets but now it actually seems justified thanks to the heatwave.
Temperatures are possibly going to reach a whopping 33C over the bank holiday weekend in some areas while other parts of the UK will face more clouds and showers
But as the record for the hottest May is set to be broken, heat alerts have been issued from 9am this morning (22 May).
That’s as this weather may bring a ‘greater risk to life’ for vulnerable people in the coming days as officials warn of ‘serious health issues’ and the importance of taking ‘simple precautions’.
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And five regions of England have been issued amber heat-health alerts (HHA) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to reflect this.
Heat-health alerts
The UKHSA earlier upgraded heat alerts from yellow to amber warnings in the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London and South East England.
And four regions have now been upgraded from no alerts to yellow warnings: North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and Humber and South West England.
All of the warnings are currently in place until 5pm on Wednesday 27 May.
A yellow alert means that adverse weather is likely to particularly affect vulnerable groups while amber is issued when it is likely to affect the whole population or the NHS.
Dr Anya Gopfert, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “We know that even moderate heat can lead to serious health problems, especially for older people and those with certain health conditions, so it’s important that everyone takes simple precautions while enjoying the warm weather over the coming days.
“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.”
It's very important to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and take breaks from the sun.
Record-breaking temperatures
The all-time May temperature record currently stands at 32.8C in Camden, London, back in 1922.
But it is thought some parts of England could reach 33C over this bank holiday.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Steve Kocher, said: “Temperatures will climb through the weekend, especially in the south, where 30°C is likely to be recorded on Saturday and 32°C on Sunday. Temperatures are forecast to peak on Monday when we could see 33°C recorded in southern England and the Midlands.”
“It is likely that the May and Spring UK temperature records will be broken over the Bank Holiday weekend, with forecast temperatures surpassing the existing record of 32.8°C. As well as it being hot, there will be lots of dry and sunny weather for much of the UK. There will however be more cloud and some showers in Northern Ireland and western Scotland through the weekend. With relatively low sea surface temperatures there is also likely to be some low cloud and sea fog clinging closely to western coasts.”
Jess Battison