The Met Office has extended its amber weather warning in a new update, now covering Friday and Saturday for several regions. Originally in place for Wednesday and Thursday, the warning has been prolonged as a heatwave continues to affect large parts of England and Wales.
Regions Affected
The amber warning for Friday includes the East Midlands, East of England, London and South East, North West, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humber. On Saturday, the warning applies to the East Midlands, East of England, and London and South East.
Health Risks and Impacts
The Met Office warned of "population-wide adverse health effects, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potential serious illness or danger to life." People are advised to adjust their daily routines. The hot conditions are expected to increase visits to coastal areas, raising the risk of water safety incidents. Delays on roads, road closures, and disruptions to rail and air travel are also possible.
Temperature Forecast
Temperatures by day are widely expected to exceed 30C, with the hottest areas potentially reaching around 38C in eastern and central England. Overnight temperatures are unlikely to fall much below the high teens Celsius, and some places may not drop below the low 20s Celsius, accompanied by high humidity.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge 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."
Cooler Conditions Ahead
Cooler conditions will slowly begin to establish from the west after this period, although very warm conditions are likely to remain across eastern and southeastern England through Saturday, albeit not as hot as earlier in the week.
