The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning as temperatures are forecast to reach up to 35C in parts of England and Wales.
The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for parts of southern and eastern England and south Wales, with temperatures forecast to climb as high as 35C on Monday and Tuesday.
The warning comes as forecasters expect the developing heatwave to affect both health and infrastructure. Hot nights are also expected, with temperatures staying above 20C in some places and offering little overnight relief.
The warning points to risks for vulnerable people, as well as a wider danger of sunburn and heat exhaustion. Travel delays and disruption are also considered likely, and people heading to coasts, lakes and rivers are being urged to take care around water.
It is only the sixth amber extreme heat warning issued by the Met Office since the system was introduced in 2021, and the first since August 2022. A more severe red warning was issued during the extreme heat of July that year.
The Met Office warning is separate from amber and yellow Heat Health Alerts already issued by the UK Health Security Agency for parts of southern and eastern England through Tuesday. Those alerts warn of significant pressure on health and social care services and a likely rise in deaths among elderly and vulnerable people.
Temperatures are expected to reach 31C or 32C in south-east England on Friday, while northern and western parts of the UK remain cooler with continuing rain. Slightly cooler air is forecast to arrive from the west on Saturday, though highs of 27C or 28C are still likely.
Heat is then expected to build again from Sunday. By Monday and Tuesday, south-east England is forecast to reach 34C or 35C, while large areas of England and Wales are expected to see highs in the high 20s or low 30s Celsius.
Forecasters say many places are very likely to meet official heatwave criteria. There is also a chance the UK’s June temperature record of 35.6C, set in 1957 and 1976, could be broken.
The hot spell is also expected to bring long sunny periods, high or very high UV levels and very high pollen levels in places. High humidity could make conditions feel more uncomfortable, while heavy downpours and thunderstorms may bring localised disruption.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to avoid the worst of the heat, though temperatures there may still reach the low to mid-20s Celsius. The outlook for the second half of next week remains less certain, but heat could linger, especially in the south.
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