Heat health warnings have been issued across parts of Britain as the country prepares for its fifth heatwave of the year, with temperatures predicted to reach 36C next week. Yellow heat health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are in effect from Saturday morning through Tuesday evening for the East Midlands, West Midlands, and South East.
Temperatures are expected to climb this weekend, with highs of 30C forecast for Saturday and rising into the low 30s across southern and southeastern England on Sunday. The heat is anticipated to build further into early next week, with temperatures reaching 30C across England and Wales on Tuesday, and then climbing to between 32C and 34C by Wednesday. The peak is expected on Thursday, when parts of East Anglia and southeastern England could experience temperatures as high as 36C. Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, Mike Silverstone, indicated that a "fairly widespread heatwave" is likely to affect large portions of England and Wales, bringing "hot conditions." He noted that humidity levels are also expected to rise, potentially making overnight conditions uncomfortable.
This approaching heatwave follows a year that has already seen 33 days with temperatures exceeding 30C, nearing the record of 34 days set in 1995. The highest temperature recorded this year was 38C on June 28. Previous heatwaves in May, June, and July have been linked to over 2,800 excess deaths and contributed to droughts and wildfires across the UK.
The risk of fires is expected to be at its highest on Sunday, with almost all of eastern and southeastern England facing an 'exceptional' fire severity rating according to the Fire Severity Index, the highest level on the scale. Major blazes have occurred recently in areas including Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.
Reservoir storage in England has fallen to 69%, a decrease from 72% a week prior and nearly 12 percentage points below the long-term average. Nineteen counties in England recorded minimal rainfall in July. Amidst the hot weather, a dolphin was recently observed leaping from the sea near Weymouth, Dorset.