The Met Office has warned that temperatures could reach 34C in parts of the UK later this week, prompting a week-long heat health warning from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The hot weather is expected to build over the coming days, with southern England seeing temperatures around 28C on Tuesday 7 July and rising to 29C on Wednesday, before peaking at 34C on Thursday or Friday.
Heat Health Alerts Issued
The UKHSA has issued yellow heat health alerts across parts of England, including the East, East Midlands, West Midlands, South West, London, and South East. The warnings are in place from midday on 4 July until 8pm on 11 July. The agency said the high temperatures could have minor impacts on health and social care services, including increased demand for healthcare from vulnerable groups and a greater risk to life among those most at risk. It also warned of a possible rise in water-related incidents due to cold water shock and drowning.
Comparison to June Heatwave
Although the UK is facing an extended period of hot weather, the Met Office has said this spell is not expected to be as hot or humid as the heatwave experienced last month. Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: “The peak of the heat appears to be Thursday or Friday: 34C in the south-east. By comparison to the heatwave we saw in June, this heatwave won’t be as hot and humid, but it will be a prolonged spell of hot weather which lasts around a week.”
Hosepipe Ban in Parts of Southern England
Southern Water has confirmed a hosepipe ban will begin at 12.01am on 10 July in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. The restrictions will prevent customers from using hosepipes for non-essential activities, including watering gardens, using sprinkler systems, filling paddling pools, hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds or fountains, and washing cars, patios or windows.
Previous Record-Breaking Heat
The latest UKHSA heat alert comes after last week's heatwave, during which the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat in parts of the country. It was the first time since extreme heat warnings were introduced in 2021 that the UK had experienced a red extreme heat warning lasting three consecutive days. During that period, the UK recorded a provisional June temperature record of 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, exceeding the previous UK June record of 35.6C set in 1976 by more than 2C.
Future Projections
Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense around the world. Met Office projections suggest that hot spells will become increasingly common in the future, particularly in southeast England. Temperatures are expected to rise across all seasons, with the strongest increases likely during the summer months.
