“Most of us can enjoy the hot weather when it arrives, but it is important to keep yourself hydrated and to find shade where possible when UV rays are strongest, between 11am and 3pm,” said the UKHSA. Source: Shutterstock.
Met Office has issued an Amber Warning for several days next week, saying that parts of the UK will see extreme heat.
Sunday July 17 to Tuesday July 19 will see high temperatures with the peak expected for next Monday and Tuesday, which could reach over 36C.
Weather warnings from officials have said that there will be “widespread impacts on people and infrastructure” with much of England and Wales set to be affected the most.
Temperatures have already been in the low 30s which meteorologists are contributing to the Azores High pressure system which pushes up warm weather from Spain.
At the moment the UK sits at a Level-3 heat-health alert until Friday July 14 according to the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) but if need be, officials will increase it to Level-4 which is when “illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy”.
The National Health Service (NHS) has urged the public to take precautions and ensure they take necessary steps to avoid heat exhaustion and other related illnesses.
They’ve also said that it’s essential to look after people who are most at risk in a heat wave, this includes elderly people, babies, homeless and those who have a serious illness.
Other parts of Europe are experiencing extreme heat including Portugal and France which have seen 38C highs while Seville, Spain saw 41C and 44C temperatures.
“There is concern that this heat could become a long-duration heat wave (20 or more days) for many locations from Portugal to central France and interior south-eastern Europe as it could last for the rest of July and continue into August,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
“This includes the valleys of Hungary, eastern Croatia, eastern Bosnia, Serbia, southern Romania and northern Bulgaria.”
While any Australian reading this would think those temperatures are a walk in the park, Annie from Londoner in Sydney mentioned that actually low 20s in England feels quite similar to 35C in Sydney.
She said that after living in Australia for eight years and returning to her native UK, what made the difference was Australia has been built for hot weather whereas the UK hasn’t.
Over there, she said there’s hardly any air-conditioning in buildings and on public transport, most people aren’t close to the ocean and their houses are built to keep heat in. She also mentioned that pollution in London makes the heat feel worse.
“So if you’re in Australia and you’re laughing at everyone in UK for melting, I can confirm, it is super-hot right now that it would be difficult for anyone to cope with seeing as there’s barely any aircon.
“I’ve wondered how on earth people are managing to work in the shops as it has felt like 40C in them!”
