The weather in London has taken a turn for the worse following a record-breaking heatwave last month. Temperatures hit 35.1C in the capital in what was the UK’s hottest-ever day in May. However, the past week has seen wind and heavy rain, including thunder and lightning in places.
Weekend Forecast Downgraded
The Met Office had forecast that this weekend would see a return to sunny spells with a new heatwave. Although the coming days are expected to be brighter and warmer than June so far, the heatwave prediction has been downgraded. A heatwave is declared in London when temperatures reach 28C or above for three consecutive days.
Saturday and Sunday are set to see clear, sunny skies and temperatures reaching around 23C. Next week will see a mix of sunny and cloudy conditions, with highs of 25C and 26C forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday could see the mercury rise to as high as 28C, but it is too early to say whether this hot weather will continue for long enough to create a heatwave.
Health Risks Highlighted
Earlier this week, the mayor’s office warned that middle-aged Londoners are at the same risk of dying in a heatwave as pensioners. Women may also be more vulnerable than men to high temperatures. Sir Sadiq Khan’s officials highlighted these factors to an inquiry by the London Assembly’s Planning and Regeneration Committee called: London is overheating – are our homes ready for rising temperatures?
“Most heat-related excess deaths in England are in those aged 65+ years,” the London Mayor’s Office said in written evidence to the committee amid forecasts of another period of warm weather in coming days. “Whilst heat risk is strongly correlated with older age, there is evidence that younger adults in London have a disproportionate level of risk, with Londoners aged 45-65 years having the same risk of dying during hot weather as those aged 65+ years.”
It added: “There is some evidence that female sex is independently associated with increased risk of death on hot days.”
