The Met Office have extended the UK’s heatwave warning to “Level Three” for the South West, South East, London and the Midlands, as temperatures this week reached a high of 32.2C (89.9F) in London – hotter than Lagos, where this month’s peak has been 29C (83F).
According to the Met Office, “a Level 3 heatwave alert means people should be aware of the actions to protect themselves from the possible health effects of hot weather, and social and healthcare services are advised to take specific actions that target high-risk groups.
“Level 3 is triggered as soon as the Met Office confirms there is a 90% chance of heatwave conditions, when temperatures are high enough over threshold levels to have a significant effect on health on at least 2 consecutive days.”
Public Health England (PHE) have advised people to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, and “avoid physical exertion.”
“The key message for healthy individuals is to follow public health messages on how to enjoy the sun safely by staying cool, drinking lots of cold fluids and checking on those you know are at risk,” said PHE’s Dr Angie Bone.
The warm weather is set to continue into next week with temperatures in the high 20Cs at the weekend before rising to 30C (86F) and above next week. There will also be an increased risk of thunderstorms.
There are lower warnings in the north of England, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not included at all in the Met Office’s alert system.
