Extreme Heat Warning Issued For England Next Week

The heatwave is far from over and as things currently stand it's about to get even hotter.

The Met Office has issued an extremely rare red heat warning for England for next week.

If you are planning on traveling on Monday (18 July) and Tuesday (19 July) you will have to be cautious due to scorching hot weather.

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The Met Office's warning should not be taken lightly. This is the first time a red heat warning has been issued and it carries a health risk to everyone in the UK, not just those who are typically more vulnerable to heat or those with existing medical conditions.

Extremely high temperatures could lead to 'population-wide adverse health effects' and a 'high risk of failure of heat-sensitive systems and equipment'. This could potentially mean power cuts, and a loss of other vital services such as water could be on the horizon.

The Met Office warned that a heatwave of this magnitude will require 'substantial changes in working practices and daily routines' to avoid exposing people to health risks.

Large areas across England will experience 'exceptional heat' with temperatures in the high 30s and forecasts are warning it could get as hot as 40C in some places.

A temperature that high would surpass the existing record for the hottest day on record in the UK, as 38.7C was recorded in Cambridge on 25 July 2019.

Prior to today's warning, an amber heat warning had already been in place for the period between 17 July and 19 July for much of England and Wales.

The Met Office has since expanded the danger zone to cover Cornwall, the west of Wales and parts of southern Scotland.

Brits have been left wondering why a heatwave feels more much hotter in the UK compared abroad.

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A spokesperson from the Met Office told My London why heatwaves sometimes feel unbearable on home shores.

"The level of humidity can be higher in the UK than in continental Europe. If humidity is high, it is harder for the human body to keep cool as your sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly

"This is made worse given that we are experiencing more 'tropical nights' – nights where the temperature doesn't go below 20ºC, meaning we get no respite from the heat and time for our body to recover. Buildings in the UK are also designed to keep heat in, compared to hotter countries. And we are less likely to have air-conditioning."

And let’s not forget it’s unusual for people in the UK to have hot weather.

Last weekend, the longest running heatwave the UK has seen in four years began.

While the highest temperatures will were recorded in the southern and central regions in England and Wales, temperatures were above average through the weekend and into the start of this week.

Remember to drink lots of water and wear appropriate sun cream.  

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