UK sees hottest day of year so far as heat health alerts in place for millions
A couple out for a beachside stroll in Eastbourne, East Sussex
- Published
The UK has recorded its hottest day of the year so far, as yellow heat health alerts remain in place for millions of people.
Temperatures peaked at 28.3C (82.9F) in Wisley, Surrey, BBC Weather said.
Scotland and Northern Ireland also recorded their hottest temperatures so far this year - although Wales did not break its previous record set in May.
Temperatures could continue to rise and reach 30C (86F) in some spots this week, forecasters say.
Most of England is under yellow heat health alerts, which will remain in force in eight regions until 17:00 on Thursday.
A yellow alert - issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) - indicates that weather conditions could pose a risk to those who are particularly vulnerable.
The UKHSA says minor impacts are probable across the health and social care sector.
What is the latest weather forecast?
Monday started bringing in the highest temperatures of 2024 in some locations, as warm air surged northwards across the UK.
According to BBC Weather, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all recorded their highest temperatures of the year on Monday.
The temperature hit 28.3C (82.9F) in Wisley, Surrey; 27.3C (81.1F) in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire; and 25.9C (78.6F) in Magilligan, County Londonderry.
In Wales, the highest temperature on Monday was 24.8C (76.6F) in Hawarden, Flintshire. But it did not beat this year's record, set in May in Gogerddan with 25.1C.
Wednesday is likely to be the hottest day this week in England and Wales, although it will probably be only slightly hotter than Tuesday, BBC Weather forecaster John Hutchinson said.
In the South East of England, midweek temperatures of 28 or 29C are likely, with 30C “possible in a few spots“, he added. Highs of 25 or 26C are expected in parts of Wales.
Scotland and Northern Ireland expected to see their warmest weather on Monday, before cloudier and cooler weather arrives from the west on Tuesday.
Northern parts of the UK can expect a few showers on Tuesday and Wednesday while it stays dry further south, Mr Hutchinson added.
Some areas might reach the Met Office’s official heatwave criteria. The nights will also be warmer and more humid than we have been used to lately, with overnight lows in some places only dropping into the mid-teens Celsius.
Hay fever sufferers may also notice that pollen levels will be very high for most of the UK for the next few days.
The weather is expected to turn cooler and wetter as colder air moves in from the west during Thursday. Depending on the timing, it could be another hot day in the South East of England, but cooler weather will move in by Friday morning, Mr Hutchinson said. Some south-eastern areas may not see that much rain, if any, he added.
The temperatures are not unusual compared to past years: Six of the last seven Junes have recorded a maximum over 32C somewhere in the UK, according to Mr Hutchinson.
What is a heat health alert?
Run by the UKHSA and the Met Office, the weather health alert system was introduced in June 2023. The service covers England only.
The weather alerts are available to those who've registered, external, and are sent by email.
Heat health alerts are typically issued between 1 June and 30 September, and cold health alerts between 1 November and 30 March.
The system issues alerts to members of the public, and sends guidance directly to NHS England, the government and other healthcare professionals during periods of adverse weather.
Alerts are categorised according to severity and include:
Headline weather conditions expected in the coming days
Details of how weather conditions will affect each region
Links to additional information, advice and guidance
The system was designed to help reduce illness and deaths by improving communication between the public and relevant bodies during periods of extreme weather.
Heat health alerts are different to Met Office weather warnings - categorised red, amber and yellow - which are issued in cases of extreme heat, as well as rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm and lightning.
Where are the latest heat health alerts?
Yellow heat health alerts have been active since 08:00 on Monday 24 June in all but one region of England:
East Midlands
West Midlands
The North West
The South East
The South West
The East of England
London
Yorkshire and the Humber
The North East is not affected.
The alerts will remain in place until 17:00 on Thursday 27 June.
The weather is expected to turn cooler, cloudier and wetter by the end of the week, but the Met Office says there is uncertainty about how quickly that change will take place.
The yellow warning is issued for all but one region - the northeast
What about Glastonbury?
Glastonbury Festival has got a reputation for attracting rainstorms, but will festival goers need to pack the wellies this year?
It’s been largely dry at Worthy Farm for several days, so the ground is looking reasonably firm and dry before the festival, which begins on Wednesday.
The first half of this week will see rising heat and humidity. Things will turn a little fresher from Thursday afternoon as a weak weather front brings a bit more cloud and possibly some light rain.
Temperatures into the weekend will be fairly pleasant at around 19 to 21C.
There will be plenty of spells of sunshine. There is a small chance of a few passing showers but they look likely to be few and far between.
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