Heat health alerts have come into force across most of England as the country braces for a second summer heatwave. An amber alert covers the East Midlands, south-east, south-west, east and London - meaning various health services and the whole populationcould be affected by the heat, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In Yorkshire and the Humber, as well as the West Midlands, less serious yellow alerts apply, meaning that the elderly and vulnerable could be affected. Temperatures are forecast to rise into the 30s over the weekend, coniciding with Glastonbury Festival, before reaching a new high for the year on Monday, when the Wimbledon tennis championship begins. Monday could be the hottest day of the year so far, with a 20-30% chance of it reaching 34C or 35C in London and towards the Cambridgeshire area, according to BBC Weather. The Met Office says London could reach 34-35C. That would make Monday the hottest ever start to Wimbledon too, exceeding the previous opening-day record of 29.3C in 2001 - although players and spectators can expect more comfortable temperatures in the 20s by the middle of next week. The hottest day during Wimbledon as a whole was on 1 July 2015 when 35.7C was recorded. Temperatures will remain in the mid to high 20s for the 200,000 festival-goers descending on Glastonbury in Somerset this weekend, with a potential peak of 28C on Sunday. Conditions are expected to remain dry with sunny spells - free of the mud baths of years past - but warm nights could make things for uncomfortable for campers. Elsewhere in Britain, dry and sunny spells are forecast, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s this weekend. By Monday, Cardiff could match the 30C highs expected across large parts of England. The sunny spell shows no sign of fading, with few places in Britain expected to see much, if any, rain by the middle of next week. Large parts of England will officially enter a heatwave - classed as three consecutive days of a temperature above a threshold, which varies by region - around the same time. These heatwaves are expected to last four to six days, finishing on Wednesday. Other European countries are seeing their own heatwaves too, with temperatures widely in the high 30s to low 40s. A scorching 44C is expected in Cordoba, southern Spain, on Sunday. Several factors are contributing to this temperature increase, including hot air from a heatwave on the eastern side of the US and hot, humid air from the Azores, plus strong sunshine and building high pressure over England. Parts of Suffolk are already in an official heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 27C at Santon Downham for three consecutive days. Many more locations will join them over the weekend. Parts of England could see a "tropical night" on Sunday and Monday - a term used to describe a night when temperatures do not fall below 20C. Monday's heat will not be far away from the June record which stands at 35.6C, recorded in Southampton during summer 1976. Large parts of England sawanother heatwave last weekend, before temperatures cooled earlier this week. Passengers were forced to evacuate trainsin south London during the 30C heat after a fault on one train brought services to a standstill. There were also warnings of a surge in excess deaths and 999 calls. While it is hard to link individual extreme weather events to climate change, heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense due to climate change. Scientists at World Weather Attribution - which analyses the influence of climate change on extreme weather events - say June heatwaves with three consecutive days above 28C are about 10 times more likely to occur now when compared to the pre-industrial climate, before humans started burning fossil fuels. The heat health alert system has been used since 2023 by the UKHSA and the Met Office to prepare health and social care professionals for the impacts of hot weather. There are four levels of warning - green, yellow, amber and red. Among examples given by UKHSA are difficulties managing medicines, the ability of the workforce to deliver services and internal temperatures in care settings exceeding the recommended thresholds.
Health alerts come into force ahead of second heatwave
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"Heat Health Alerts Issued as England Braces for Second Heatwave"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
As England prepares for a second summer heatwave, heat health alerts have been issued across most regions of the country. An amber alert, which indicates a significant health risk, is in effect for the East Midlands, south-east, south-west, east, and London, as stated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This alert suggests that various health services may be impacted and that the entire population could face health challenges due to the rising temperatures. In contrast, regions such as Yorkshire and the Humber and the West Midlands are under less serious yellow alerts, which indicate that vulnerable populations, including the elderly, may be at risk. The forecast predicts temperatures soaring into the 30s over the weekend, coinciding with major events like the Glastonbury Festival, and potentially reaching record highs on Monday, the first day of the Wimbledon tennis championships. London is expected to see temperatures between 34°C and 35°C, making it the hottest day of the year so far and possibly the hottest opening day in Wimbledon’s history, surpassing a previous record from 2001.
The extended heatwave is predicted to last for four to six days, with temperatures remaining high across England and Wales. While festival-goers at Glastonbury can expect warm weather with highs of 28°C, conditions could be uncomfortable at night due to warm temperatures. The UK is not alone in facing extreme heat; other European nations are also experiencing significant heatwaves. Contributing factors to this temperature rise include hot air from the eastern United States and humid air from the Azores, combined with strong sunshine and high atmospheric pressure over England. The UKHSA's heat health alert system, established in 2023, is designed to prepare health and social care professionals for the impacts of extreme heat, highlighting potential challenges such as managing medication and maintaining safe temperatures in care settings. This system includes four levels of warnings, from green to red, reflecting the severity of the heat threat. As heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to climate change, scientists note that the likelihood of such extreme weather events has significantly increased compared to historical climate conditions.
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