A yellow health alert has been issued for Birmingham, the Black Country, and the wider West Midlands by the UK Health Security Agency as a heatwave is set to hit the region and persist for several days. The second city is expected to bask in sunshine, bringing warm weather for the Bank Holiday weekend and beyond.
Hotter Than Spain
The Met Office has forecast 'very warm and sunny' conditions over the Bank Holiday weekend, with temperatures predicted to reach 31 degrees Celsius on Monday, May 25. This will make the city and region hotter than popular holiday destinations in Spain, including Barcelona and Marbella, which are only expected to see 25 degrees Celsius. The Algarve in Portugal will also be cooler at 25 degrees Celsius, and even Barbados, with a forecast of 29 degrees Celsius and thundery showers, will be slightly cooler.
Weekend Weather Breakdown
The weekend will start with 'fine and dry' weather on Friday, May 22, with a chance of 'overnight spots of rain' and temperatures not falling below 13 degrees Celsius. Saturday, May 23, will continue with 'dry and sunny' conditions, feeling 'very warm in the strong sunshine,' with temperatures reaching 26 degrees Celsius. Sunday will see temperatures soar further to 28 degrees Celsius, peaking at 31 degrees Celsius on Monday with sunshine throughout. Overnight temperatures in Birmingham will be a sticky 17 degrees Celsius on Sunday and Monday.
Health Alert Details
The yellow alert from the UK Health Security Agency for the West Midlands starts today, Friday, May 22, at 9 am and will continue for six days until 5 pm on Wednesday, May 27. The alert warns of impacts across health and social services, including increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, greater risk to life for vulnerable individuals, and increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm.
Continued Warmth Through Half-Term
These warm temperatures are expected to continue throughout the school half-term holiday. The Met Office stated: 'Remaining dry and settled throughout Sunday and early next week with plenty of sunshine. Feeling hot by day with potentially some warm nights too.' The BBC's Birmingham forecast predicts warm sunshine continuing on Tuesday (29 degrees Celsius), Wednesday (25 degrees Celsius), Thursday (27 degrees Celsius), Friday (26 degrees Celsius), and Saturday (24 degrees Celsius), with a break on Sunday when rain is forecast and temperatures fall to 21 degrees Celsius.
