A yellow Heat-Health Alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which means temperatures could lead to impacts on the health and wellbeing of some people. This covers the East Midlands, East of England, London and the southeast of England from Wednesday June 17 and remains in place until Monday.
The Met Office has suggested ways people can stay safe during a heatwave. It explained: “Hot weather places a strain on the heart and lungs. For that reason, the majority of serious illness and deaths caused by heat are respiratory and cardiovascular.
“Older people, those with pre-existing health conditions and young children are particularly at risk. Overexposure to the sun is equally dangerous, with effects ranging from mild sunburn to skin cancer. It doesn’t have to be hot for the UV index to be high.”
According to the Met Office, if someone is showing heavy panting, restlessness and lack of coordination, then it could be the early signs of heatstroke.
The NHS explains that heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This week’s weather reflects a contrast we often see in summer, with more unsettled conditions passing to the northwest of the UK while heat builds in the south and east.
“As we move towards the weekend, we’ll see conditions become more widely settled and temperatures rise all round. Many parts of southern and eastern England are likely to see temperatures high enough to meet heatwave thresholds.
“It’s important to note that while temperatures may be high, we might not all see the wall-to-wall sunshine and blue skies we experienced back in May because there is more cloud around.
“There is also a chance of thunderstorms developing in places, particularly later each day, which could bring heavy showers and localised impacts.”