Yellow 'heat-health' alert issued for most of England
A yellow heat-health alert has been issued for most of England, meaning vulnerable people could be at risk.
The alert is in place from 12pm on Wednesday to 6pm on Sunday and covers London, the South East, the East of England, the South West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.
It comes as a heatwave is set to hit the UK, bringing temperatures of up to 35C
Under the Weather-Health warning system, overseen by the UK Health Security Agency, a yellow alert means there could be higher than usual demand for health and social care services by vulnerable people.
That's because the high temperatures increase the risk of health issues for people over 65, or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
For Yorkshire and the Humber, minor impacts are likely across health and social services, according to the UKHSA.
For the rest of the areas under the yellow alert, the agency says significant impacts are expected.
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.Temperatures are predicted to peak at Sunday, and could approach the highest ever temperature recorded in June, 35.6C in 1976.
Indoor environments could overheat for some people, particularly if they live in highly insulated homes or top floor flats.
The UKHSA recommends that people prepare for hot weather by taking steps such as checking medicines can be stored according to package instructions, checking appliances such as fans and freezers are working properly, and if possible, installing blinds or curtains to keep rooms in the shade.
If you find that you or someone's home is becoming too hot, the UKHSA recommends:
If possible, shade or cover windows.
Open windows (when it is safe to do so) when the air feels cooler outside, for example at night, and try to get air flowing through the home.
Use electric fans if the air temperature is below 35°C, but do not aim the fan directly at your body as this can lead to dehydration.
Check that your heating is turned off.
To reduce heat generated in the home, turn off lights and electrical equipment that are not in use and consider cooking at cooler times of the day.
Move to a cooler part of the house, especially for sleeping if possible.
It may be cooler outside in the shade or in a public building (such as places of worship, local libraries, or supermarkets) so consider a visit as a way of cooling down if you are able to safely travel there without putting yourself at more risk from the heat.
The heat is expected to last the rest of the week, over the weekend and likely into the early parts of next week.
After that, forecasters expect the area of high pressure to shift slightly, cutting off the very warm feed of air from the south.
Sleeping conditions are expected to be uncomfortable with temperatures staying into the high by night across many areas.
It's possible that parts of Scotland and northwest England could experience overnight temperatures holding up above 20C and this would be classed as a 'tropical night'.
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