Heat health alerts issued for parts of UK ahead of 30°C temperatures

The UK is headed for another sweltering heatwave, with several amber health alerts issued.

Another heatwave is around the corner after the May hot spell, but this one could be even more unbearable.

The Met Office warned the incoming heatwave will be ‘humid and muggy’ in parts of England.

With temperatures set to top 30C in some areas in the south, the UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat health alerts.

The warnings cover London, the South East, South West and East of England, and they are active from today until 8pm on Tuesday.

What does the heat health alert mean?

The watchdog said health and social care services could face under increased pressure, which could result in a rise in deaths.

People aged 65 and over, as well as those with health conditions, will be most vulnerable, it said, though there may also be impacts on younger age groups as the conditions become sweltering.

Less severe yellow health alerts cover the East and West Midlands, warning of minor impacts on services.

Heatwave weather forecast

London will see temperatures rise above 30C almost every over the next week.

And if the hot days were not challenging enough in the capital, brace for waking up bleary-eyed due to tropical nights as temperatures will rarely drop below 20C even at night.

Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: ‘It’s a bit different to the last heatwave, because last time the humidity wasn’t as high, whereas this time the humidity is quite a bit higher.

‘It’s just going to make it feel that bit muggier and that bit more humid during the day and overnight as well, so it just means it’s going to be more uncomfortable, the heat itself.’

She continued: ‘Because the humidity is so high, there’s a chance that this could potentially spark off some thunderstorms.

‘It’s always tricky with thunderstorms, because they could pop up pretty much anywhere, particularly across central, southern, south-east parts of England.

‘But wherever they do hit, it’s probably going to be quite an intense, heavy downpour for a time with some rumbles of thunder, some sparks of lightning, but exactly where they’ll be is a tricky one to forecast at the moment.’

Besides health concerns, the heat can also wreak havoc on travel, especially on the railways.

The railways can melt and bend in extreme heat, so speed restrictions might be in place in some sections.

This could cause delays and cancellations, National Rail warned.

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