UK weather: Heat health alert issued for 54 hours as Met Office warns mercury to soar to 30C – check exact locations
THE Met Office has issued yellow heat health alerts for most of southern and eastern England as temperatures are set to hit 30C in days.
From tomorrow forecasters have warned of a likely increase in temperature across the UK until Saturday.
The yellow alert means there will be an “increase in risk of mortality amongst vulnerable individuals”.
OAPs and people with health conditions are most at risk, but young people could also suffer in the heat.
The warning only applies to those living east of the country with the South West and North remaining on green alert.
By Friday temps in London and the South East could reach 30C before milder conditions return on Sunday.
The hot weather comes after well above-average rainfall figures in the first half of the month, including a weather warning for rain on Tuesday evening.
Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey said night-time temperatures could stay in the low 20s for parts of Southeast England.
These would be classed as “tropical nights” if they don’t drop below 20C and will pose more health risks for the elderly and vulnerable.
Nicole added that she was uncertain when the milder conditions would arrive but claimed that the Southeast would likely retain its heat longer than other parts of the country.
Some areas of the UK have already exceeded July’s average rainfall figures despite being only halfway through the month.
The Met Office spokesperson revealed England had 97% of July’s average rainfall between July 1 and 15, Wales had 65%, Scotland 49% and Northern Ireland 47%.
London has already had 154% of its July average, Dorset clocked 120% and Edinburgh has only had 40%.
Nicole said: “There are quite big regional differences but overall it’s looking like a wet month so far.
“There is a caveat that, with a dry couple of weeks, by the end of the month things could even themselves out.”
Much of a location’s July total rainfall came down in two or three heavy downpours rather than a prolonged period of wet weather.
It comes after a funnel cloud which looked like a tornado was captured on film by a mother and daughter in Cornwall.
The pair spotted the cloud formation above their neighbour’s house before filming the weather phenomenon.
Fortunately for the locals, funnel clouds aren’t destructive.
The Met Office has described them saying: “Crucially, a funnel cloud does not reach the earth’s surface, at the point it reaches land it becomes a tornado, or if it reaches a body of water it becomes a waterspout.
“In a typical year, the UK sees around 30-35 tornadoes each year, though it is very rare that are they strong enough to cause any significant damage.”
These car experts have revealed ways to keep your windscreen safe from damage in the summer.
And airport bosses have explained why your luggage gets delayed more often during hotter weather.
This week's Met Office forecast
Today:
Any remaining showers across northeast Scotland soon fade with most places seeing a fine and dry day with decent amounts of sunshine and just an isolated afternoon shower.
Skies clouding over from the northwest later. Feeling warm in the sunshine.
Tonight:
Plenty of evening sunshine before a mostly dry night. Cloud increasing from the northwest with outbreaks of rain across Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
Thursday:
Outbreaks of rain across Northern Ireland and western Scotland easing through the day.
Largely dry with sunny spells elsewhere, feeling very warm in the sunshine.
Friday to Sunday:
Mostly dry and very warm or hot on Friday. Thundery showers on Saturday and likely remain hot in the east or southeast.
Cooler, cloudier with some rain likely on Sunday.