The Met Office has issued a heatwave warning for parts of the UK, with temperatures set to peak at 34C in the South East, as Southern Water announces a hosepipe ban
Another heatwave is set to sweep across parts of the UK, with top temperatures of 34C predicted, just as a new hosepipe ban has been declared.
The Met Office forecasts that temperatures in the south could hit 28C on Saturday, and a week-long health warning comes into effect at midday in certain areas of the UK. The alert warns that the high temperatures expected over the next few days could pose a heightened risk to life for vulnerable individuals.
In the meantime, Southern Water has announced a hosepipe ban from 12.01am on July 10 in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. According to the Met Office, temperatures are set to climb to 29C on Sunday, then edge towards the low 30s next week, peaking at a sweltering 34C on Thursday or Friday in the South East.
While it’s anticipated to be an extended period of hot weather in some regions of the UK, forecasters assure us it won’t be as stiflingly hot and humid as last month’s heatwave.
Yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), covering the East Midlands, east, south-east and south-west of England, including London, and the West Midlands, from midday on Saturday until 8pm on July 11.
The agency warned that within the alert area, minor impacts on health and social care services are likely due to the soaring temperatures. This includes increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable individuals and a heightened risk to life for this group.
It also cautioned about a potential rise in water-related incidents, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.
Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell revealed: “We have got a heatwave on the way across parts of southern England and Wales, temperatures are already quite high across the South East today, we could get 28C in London.
“Elsewhere, it’s not as hot as we have got temperatures closer to average but they will climb as we go into next week. The northern areas of the country will be cloudier with spells of rain at times, so there’s a north/south split.
“There will be highs of 29C tomorrow in the south. At the start of next week we will see temperatures approach the low 30s. The peak of the heat appears to be Thursday or Friday, 34C in the South East.
“By comparison to the heatwave we saw in June, this heatwave won’t be as hot and humid, but it will be a prolonged spell of hot weather which lasts around a week.”
Southern Water warns on its website that “the warmest spring on record, followed by a record-breaking heatwave, has left river levels 25% lower than expected for this time of year”.
The company explains that the River Test has shed a third of its water within the last month, “putting pressure on our ability to treat and supply your water”.
Southern Water states: “To protect local rivers, including the River Test and Itchen that supply most of your water, and to keep taps flowing, we need to introduce restrictions.
“We recognise that customers with medical needs may still need to use a hosepipe. Customers on our priority services register with medical or mobility needs, including blue badge holders and those on our WaterSure tariff, are exempt. Anything you can do to reduce or avoid hosepipe use would be greatly appreciated.”
A hosepipe ban restricts customers from using a hosepipe for non-essential activities, such as: watering gardens, including the use of sprinkler systems; filling paddling pools, hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds or fountains; washing cars, patios or windows.
Southern Water has stated that the hosepipe ban will be lifted “as soon as we can”, adding “this can only happen when there’s enough water in our reservoirs, rivers and underground aquifers to meet demand”.
The UKHSA’s new alert follows a blistering heatwave last week, during which the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat for parts of the country and the UKHSA put red heat health alerts in place.
The UK set a provisional June temperature record of 37.7C in Lingwood in Norfolk, according to the Met Office.
This surpasses the previous June record for the UK of 35.6C set back in 1976 by more than 2C. Historically, such records have typically been broken by only a fraction of a degree.
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