Amber heat health alerts in effect as UK set for one of longest-lasting heatwaves since 1976

Two people walk through St James's Park carrying colourful parasols and wearing summer outfits next to a couple sat on a bench in the shade, with ducks and grass in the background, in London on Wednesday.

Parts of the south and east officially entered a heatwave on Monday, after three days at or above their threshold temperatures.

Heatwave criteria were met more widely on Tuesday as temperatures peaked at 32.4C in both Teddington, Richmond upon Thames, and also in Frittenden, Kent.

On Wednesday the top temperature was 33.7C at Heathrow.

More locations could reach 34C or 35C in the coming days, with the hot spot likely to be in southern England.

Heat will continue to build and extend north and west into Northern Ireland and Scotland until Friday. Here the peak is expected in the high 20s Celsius.

As high pressure shifts towards the end of the week, an easterly wind will pick up. As a result the focus of 30C will move and temperatures will dip a little in eastern areas of the UK, but many will remain in heatwave conditions.

The focus of the heat will then be further west, across central southern England in particular. South Wales could also see highs of 33C on Friday.


Source:

www.bbc.co.uk