Three-day thunderstorm warning and heat health alert issued for parts of UK

ITV News

a day ago

Thunderstorms
Heatwave
A three-day thunderstorm warning and a yellow heat health alert have been issued for parts of the UK for the coming days.
A 'Spanish plume' i s set to bring temperatures as high as 30C by Friday, with the addition of muggy, humid air and thundery downpours.
It is the first yellow heat health alert that has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) this year.
The East Midlands, South East, East of England, and London are affected by the alert, which is in place from 9pm on Thursday until 8am on Sunday.
The alert system provides an early warning when temperatures are likely to impact the health and well-being of the population.
The upcoming yellow alerts have a risk score of seven, meaning there is a medium likelihood of low impacts across health and social services
These impacts could include an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and a greater risk to their lives.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: "Our findings show that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
"The forecasted high temperatures are expected to be short-lived but could primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions.
"If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice."
The Met Office has also issued thunderstorm warnings from Thursday to Saturday, affecting a range of areas in the UK.
From midnight until 1pm on Thursday, parts of Wales and Southwest England could see heavy rain, thunderstorms and travel disruption.
The same warning is in place across Northern Ireland, running from 6am to 9pm.
Up to 40mm of rain could fall in three hours or less, leading to the potential for disruption, including delays to train services and some short term loss of power.
Flooding of a few homes and businesses is also likely.
Further rain is expected across western areas early on Friday, with yellow thunderstorm weather warnings being issued across southern and eastern parts of England.
From 3pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday, parts of London, the Southeast and East of England are at risk of disruption due to the weather.
The Met Office is warning that there could be localised flooding, power cuts and delays to transport.
Where is the hot, humid air coming from?
A switch in the wind direction from Wednesday will mean a southerly air flow will draw in heat and humid air from Europe over the following days.
As this clashes with our fresher, cooler air, the upper atmosphere becomes increasingly unstable and volatile, generating intense, prolonged downpours and frequent thunderstorms journeying from south to north across the UK.
What is a 'Spanish plume'?
The hot and humid conditions have been generated in Spain - where temperatures are already close to 40C.
Iberia is no stranger to these conditions or for being the catalyst for our incoming hot, humid and thundery weather - the process is widely known as a 'Spanish Plume'.
Spanish Plumes used to be associated with July and August but we've seen these conditions earlier in the summer, or even in spring, in recent years.