UK weather: Is a heatwave on its way over weekend?
The UK is expecting some very hot weather, especially in the south and east of England. Scotland and Northern Ireland may only have temperatures up to around 22C in the coming days but England and Wales is expected to be much hotter.The heat will start in East Anglia and South East England on Friday, and then spread across much of England and Wales. The peak of the hot weather is expected to be on Monday when a temperature of 34C or 35C could be reached around London.
To help keep people safe, heat health alerts have been announced:Amber alerts for the East Midlands, South East, South West, East of England and LondonYellow alerts (less serious) for Yorkshire and the Humber and the West MidlandsThese alerts help doctors, hospitals, and care homes get ready for the heat, as very hot weather can make it harder for some people to stay healthy - particularly some older adults and people with certain illnesses.
When does hot weather become a heatwave?
The Met Office, which monitors UK weather says a heatwave is when a location's high temperature goes above a certain level for at least three days in a row. The exact temperature needed for a heatwave depends on where you live – it can be from 25°C to 28°C or more.The Met Office says heatwaves are becoming more common due to climate change and there is a greater chance of seeing extreme heat more often.Temperatures are forecast to fall on Tuesday, although in some parts of England they will remain high - with 30C expected in East Anglia and South East England.There are also thunderstorms forecast for some areas on Tuesday night.
Hot nights and sleep
The weather will also become humid again which will make the heat feel more uncomfortable, including at night.Humidity is the amount of water vapour (tiny water droplets) in the air. When humidity is high, the air feels hotter and stickier. This makes it harder for our bodies to cool down by sweating.It could make it hard to sleep on Sunday and Monday night, because the temperature might not drop below 20°C - this is called a "tropical night".
What's causing the hot weather in the UK?
The high temperatures are due to hot air arriving from the United States, where there is also a heatwave currently, and the Azores.The Azores are a group of nine small islands belonging to Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean, they're about halfway between Portugal and North America. Even though the Azores are far from the UK, the weather there can affect us! Sometimes, warm and humid air from the Azores moves over to the UK. That, along with strong sunshine and high pressure over the UK, can combine to bring hot weather.
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