An additional alert for intense heat has been issued by the UK’s Met Office, warning of oppressive conditions as temperatures may reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. The surge in temperatures is a result of a high-pressure “heat-dome” settling over western Europe, leading to extreme weather conditions across the region. The peak of the heatwave is anticipated for today and Thursday, with red alerts already in effect by the Met Office, and now an additional amber warning has been added for Friday. The new alert covers a significant portion of England, particularly central, southern, and eastern regions, extending as far north as Manchester, and is set to last for 24 hours starting from midnight on Thursday.
According to Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge, an amber warning has been issued for eastern and central England on Friday, with the possibility of further updates as the forecast evolves. The warning highlights very hot weather prevailing across much of England, with daytime temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius, potentially reaching 38 degrees Celsius in the eastern and central regions. Nighttime temperatures are forecasted to remain high, accompanied by elevated humidity levels. While cooler conditions are projected to gradually establish from the west after this period, warm weather is likely to persist in eastern and southeastern England through Saturday, although not as scorching as earlier in the week.
A red weather warning for extreme heat, covering a vast area from London to Swansea and the south coast to Birmingham, has been activated and is scheduled to remain in place until 9 pm on Thursday. During the peak of the heatwave over these two days, temperatures could approach the UK’s all-time high of 40.3 degrees Celsius recorded in Lincolnshire in July 2022. This current heatwave is poised to surpass the June temperature record of 35.6 degrees Celsius set in Hampshire in 1976.
The Met Office has cautioned that the combination of extreme heat and humidity may pose risks to public health, infrastructure, and essential services such as power and water supplies, potentially leading to heat-related issues in various sectors including transport, energy, and water distribution. Additionally, there is a likelihood of an uptick in water-related incidents during the heatwave, as more individuals are expected to visit coastal areas, lakes, or rivers.
BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes has predicted a significant breakage of the June temperature record, with temperatures estimated to reach around 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record by a considerable margin. Overnight temperatures into Wednesday remained above 20 degrees Celsius in many areas, with locations like Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and Heathrow in west London not dropping below 22.3 and 22.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.
