Week-long health alert issued for third heatwave
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, will be in place from 10am on Wednesday until 10am next Tuesday and covers London, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, the east of England, the South East and the South West.
The Met Office warned that 'significant impacts' are likely across health and social care services because of higher temperatures over the period, with some areas expected to reach heatwave criteria and see temperatures in the low 30s by the end of the week.
It comes after two amber heat health alerts were issued in consecutive weeks at the end of last month amid two separate heatwaves.
The UK saw its hottest day of the year so far when 34.7C was recorded at St James's Park in central London on July 1, while the Wimbledon tennis championship experienced their hottest start on record.
Provisional Met Office figures also showed that England had its warmest June on record.
An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK.
Dan Holley, the deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'High pressure from the Atlantic will gradually exert its influence over the UK this week. We'll see temperatures build day-on-day, with the potential for hot conditions to become quite widespread by the end of the week and into the weekend.
'On Wednesday, temperatures could reach up to 28C in parts of England, climbing to 30C on Thursday and 32C by Friday. By this stage, heatwave criteria are likely to be met in parts of England and Wales, and in parts of Scotland over the weekend.
'High temperatures are likely to persist into the weekend, especially away from coasts with onshore winds, reaching the low 30s in portions of England and Wales, and accompanied by rising humidity and warmer nights.'
Mr Holley said the latest heatwave was likely to last longer than previous ones this summer and affect a wider area. Pollen and UV levels in some areas will also be very high.
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