The Met Office has named four regions where the next UK heatwave will likely be felt as the weather improves. UK Heat Health Alerts, a combined effort from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, have been declared.
Regions Affected
The affected regions include the East Midlands, East of England, London, and the South East. The alerts are in effect from 3pm on Wednesday 17 June until 8pm on Monday 22 June.
Minor Impacts Expected
Minor impacts are likely across health and social care services. These include increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, a greater risk to life for vulnerable individuals, increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm, and a rise in water-related incidents, including risks from cold-water shock and drowning.
Met Office Forecast
The Met Office promises "climbing temperatures" and states in its five-day forecast: "Largely dry across the south and east with variable amounts of cloud and very warm sunny spells. Cloudier in the north and west with patchy rain and drizzle, before more persistent rain moves into the southwest later."
"Outbreaks of rain will move northeast across many parts, turning heavy and persistent over western hills. Staying mostly dry in the southeast. Warm and muggy for many with low cloud."
"A cloudy start with some rain and drizzle. Turning brighter in the north and northwest with scattered showers. Some warm bright spells developing in the south. Humid in the south."
Outlook for Late June
The outlook adds: "Plenty of dry weather in the south with increasing amounts of hot and humid sunshine, and a risk of thunderstorms. More changeable elsewhere with spells of rain and average temperatures."
From June 20 to June 29, the forecast says: "There is the possibility of some very warm and humid weather across parts of south and southeast Britain at the start of this period and perhaps the chance of a few thunderstorms too. Generally more changeable to the north and west at first, but there is a signal for high pressure to build more widely as we move towards the latter part of June."
"This likely brings more widely drier, settled conditions with temperatures probably remaining above average for most. It is still possible that Atlantic low pressure may still bring brief spells of wet and windy weather. There is a chance that the hot conditions could return northwards accompanied by a thunderstorm risk; this all dependent on the orientation of the aforementioned high pressure."
