The weekend heat health alert in eastern, southern, and central England has increased from yellow to amber.
The amber alert, which went into effect at 9:00 BST on Friday, signifies that high temperatures could affect people of all ages and the healthcare system.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) alert remains in effect until Monday at 9:00 BST.
Temperatures will reach 30 degrees Celsius, and thunderstorms are anticipated.
In the coming days, the Met Office predicts that parts of the country will be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza, and Tenerife as a column of warm air moves in from the south.
A yellow signal for the north of England and London urges checking on vulnerable family and friends.
On Wednesday, the UKHSA raised its heat alert to warn of dangerous overnight temperatures.
A Met Office yellow warning for thunder covers Wales and southern England from 14:00 to 21:00 BST on Saturday.
This means there is a possibility of travel disruptions, power outages, and localized flooding from the heaviest rainfall.
A spokesperson for the UKHSA stated that it was difficult to predict the precise impact of higher temperatures on the health service, but that vulnerable groups suffering from the heat would exert additional pressure.
This includes the elderly, individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular ailments, and infants.
Before the hot wave, the UKHSA has advised care homes and other older adult groups.
The assistant chief fire officer of the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, Andy Cole, implored the public to be “vigilant” this weekend and refrain from using disposable barbecues and starting campfires.
Last year saw a “record number” of wildfires, and Dorset and Wiltshire saw a “roughly 400% increase” compared to the previous year, with 911 incidents recorded.
Mr. Cole stated that wildfires are “extremely dangerous” and can consume a great deal of fire department resources.
Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of heat waves in the United Kingdom.
The 19th of July in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, attained a record 40.3 degrees Celsius last year.
The UKHSA expects heatwaves to “occur more frequently, be more intense, and last longer” in the coming decades.
Last Monday, the UKHSA and Met Office launched a color-coded alert system to decrease illness and deaths among vulnerable people.
There is one additional alert that has not yet been issued that represents the greatest threat. Red alerts warn that even healthy people are at risk of death and that all sectors will be adversely affected.
Here, individuals can sign up to receive alerts and specify the region for which they wish to receive notifications.
