The Met Office has extended its heatwave warnings with a new amber alert for extreme heat on Friday, covering 54 areas across eastern and central England. This follows red warnings already in place for Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures could soar to 40C due to a persistent heat-dome over western Europe.
New Amber Warning for Friday
Grahame Madge, Met Office spokesman, said: “We have issued another amber warning for eastern and central England for Friday. As the forecast continues to evolve we may need to issue further updates once more detail becomes clear.” The warning is in effect for 24 hours, from midnight to midnight on Friday.
Affected Regions and Areas
The amber warning covers the following regions and local authorities:
- East Midlands: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland
- East of England: Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk, Thurrock
- London & South East England: Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Reading, Slough, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham
- North West England: Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Greater Manchester, Halton, Merseyside, Warrington
- South West England: Gloucestershire
- West Midlands: Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire
- Yorkshire & Humber: North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire
Impact of the Heat-Dome
The heat-dome settled over western Europe has brought extreme conditions across the continent. In the UK, temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, with red warnings indicating a danger to life. The new amber warning for Friday suggests the heatwave will persist, potentially breaking June records. The Met Office advises people to stay hydrated, avoid sun during peak hours, and check on vulnerable individuals.
