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Telegraph
6 days ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Britain braces for heatwave temperatures to soar
The fourth heatwave of the summer will continue on Wednesday with temperatures expected to reach 34C across parts of England. An amber heat health alert was issued for the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, London and the East of England on Tuesday and will stay in place until 6pm on Wednesday. Much of the rest of England has been issued with yellow alerts. Under the Weather-Health Alert system, an amber alert means a possible rise in deaths, increased pressure on health services and travel disruptions are likely. The UK Health Security Agency and Met office have also warned of an increased health risks for individuals aged over 65 years or for those with pre-existing health conditions. Dr Paul Coleman, a public health consultant at UKHSA, said: 'Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30C across central and southern parts of the country over the next few days, and generally hot weather is expected across most regions of England. 'These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population – particularly in those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with serious health conditions – so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun. 'If you have friends, family or neighbours who are vulnerable, it is important to ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice. Check in on them if you can to make sure they know that hot weather is on the way and how to keep themselves safe.' Last summer, the UK Health Security Agency recorded 1,311 deaths during four heatwaves. On Tuesday, temperatures reached a sweltering 33.4C, with the highest readings recorded in Benson, Oxfordshire, Herefordshire and west London. The all-time hottest August day on record was 35.8C in Faversham, Kent on August 10th 2003. The hottest day of 2025 so far was 35.8C, also in Faversham, on July 1. Looking ahead, forecasters expect more hot sunshine on Wednesday, a slightly cooler Thursday, and a return to very hot weather by Friday, especially in the South East of England. 'Significant' water shortfalls Officials have warned that England is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls. The National Drought Group – which includes the Met Office, government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers' Union and conservation experts – met on Monday to highlight the water-saving measures each sector is taking. Five areas across England are officially in drought, with six more experiencing prolonged dry weather following the driest six months to July since 1976. England is witnessing widespread environmental and agricultural impacts due to the lack of water. NFU Vice-President Rachel Hallos said: 'British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions, with harvest underway and crop yields proving mixed across the country. Some farms are reporting a significant drop in yields, which is financially devastating for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK's overall harvest. 'Farming is a long-term industry and there is growing concern about the months ahead. Minimal grass growth means many livestock farmers are already tapping into winter feed stocks, raising the risk of higher production costs later in the year. 'Access to clean, reliable water is essential for food production. What's worked well during this drought has been early, coordinated communication with stakeholders around licence restrictions and drought permits and orders and it's crucial this continues. 'To avoid the swing between extreme drought and flooding and to secure water supplies for food production, we urgently need investment in water infrastructure and a more effective planning system.'
BBC News
7 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Heat warning in place in South East as temperatures rise
A heat health warning has come in to force in south-east England on the day the region could see some of its hottest temperatures of the amber alert for Kent, Sussex and Surrey began at 09:00 BST on Tuesday and will remain until 18:00 on UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warning means that impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, with an increase in risk for those over 65 or with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular are expected to climb above 30C (86F) in parts of the region on Tuesday. Dr Paul Coleman, consultant in public health at UKHSA, said: "These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population."The highest temperature in the UK in 2025 so far was 35.8C in Faversham in Kent, recorded on 1 July. In a statement, Surrey County Council said: "Anyone can become unwell when the weather is hot, but some are at higher risk than others. "Look out for older people, particularly those who live alone, people with long-term health conditions and young children who may find it more difficult to stay cool and hydrated in hot weather."People are recommended to keep their homes cool, wear appropriate outdoor clothing and keep out of the sun during the midday heat, and know the signs of heat exhaustion and Crabtree, the Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, said: "Warmth is the focus in the forecast in the first half of this week, with temperatures likely to peak on Tuesday around the mid 30s, but remaining above average in the second half of the week, particularly further to the south-east."On Tuesday, officials warned that England is suffering from "nationally significant" water shortfalls despite rain in East Water imposed a hosepipe ban for 1.4 million customers in Kent and Sussex on 18 July. The RAC has warned of possible travel disruption during the latest warm weather, as tourists head to the said car engines could overheat in the hot weather and motorists are advised to check their temperature services have been reminding people to take extra care outdoors in the heat over fears of wildfires. Ash Walmsley, countryside manager for Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, told BBC Radio Sussex: "It's about using common sense. We're urging people not to come with disposable barbecues." Swimmers took to the lido in Tonbridge, Kent, from 06:30 on Tuesday as soon as it Luxford, duty manager, told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm really pleased with days like this. "We're busy and it's nice to see the pool used to full capacity."
Telegraph
11-08-2025
- Climate
- Telegraph
Southern England to be hotter than Bali during fourth heatwave of summer
Southern England will be hotter than Bali as Britain braces for its fourth heatwave of the summer. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber alert covering the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, London, and East of England with temperatures set to surpass 30C (86F). The warning comes into force from 9am on Tuesday and will last until 6pm on Wednesday. A yellow warning has also been issued for the North West and North East at the same time. These come on top of the yellow warnings that were already in place across the south West, Yorkshire and the Humber. It comes after the UK has already experienced three heatwaves this summer. Dr Paul Coleman, a consultant in public health at UKHSA, said: 'Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30C across central and southern parts of the country over the next few days, and generally hot weather is expected across most regions of England.' He added: 'These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population – particularly in those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with serious health conditions – so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun. 'If you have friends, family or neighbours who are vulnerable, it is important to ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice. Check in on them if you can to make sure they know that hot weather is on the way and how to keep themselves safe.' A combination of amber and yellow heat health warnings were issued across England in June and July when temperatures exceeded 30C in several parts of the country. On July 1, the hottest day of the year so far, 34.7C (94.5F) was recorded at St James's Park in central London. Several water companies were forced to issue hosepipe bans for activities such as watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools as part of efforts to protect supplies in the face of the dry and hot weather. The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office. This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher.
