A level three heat health alert has been issued for parts of England this week as another heatwave is set to sweep the country. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the alert for southern and central England from Tuesday (August 9) through to Saturday (August 13).
Temperatures of up to 35C are expected in some parts of the UK as high pressure builds this week. The latest heatwave might not bring the record-breaking temperatures recorded in July, but it is set to last longer, according to the Met Office.
The UKHSA has advised Brits to look out for vulnerable people, including older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions. Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “Temperatures will feel very warm again this week, particularly in southern and central parts of the country.
Read more: Greater Manchester weather forecast for this week with new heatwave expected
“We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives, but remember that heat can have a fast impact on health. It’s important to ensure that people who are more vulnerable – elderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditions – are prepared for coping during the hot weather.
“The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating.”
For a level three heat health alert to be triggered, two conditions must be met. Firstly, the Met Office has to confirm that 'threshold temperatures' have been reached for one day and the following night, in one or more region.
Secondly, the forecast for the next day must have a greater than 90% confidence level that the 'day threshold' temperature will be met. These threshold temperatures range depending on which region you live in.
The highest day and night temperature threshold is in London, set at 32C and 18C respectively. The lowest is in North East England, with a day maximum threshold of 28C and a night maximum threshold of 15C.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wardle said: “Heatwave criteria look likely to be met for large areas of the UK later this week, with the hottest areas expected in central and southern England and Wales on Friday and Saturday. Temperatures could peak at 35C, or even an isolated 36C on Saturday.
“Elsewhere will see temperatures widely into the high 20s and low 30s Celsius later this week as temperatures build day-on-day through the week due to an area of high pressure extending over much of the UK. Coupled with the high daytime temperatures will be continued warm nights, with the mercury expected to drop to only around low 20s Celsius for some areas in the south.”
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