The meteorologist said a level 2 alert had been issued for the south and central England from midnight on Friday until midnight on Sunday, with a lower level 1 alert for the north of England. The warning system is designed to help health care workers cope with extreme temperatures. The Met Office warned earlier this week that Britons would have to prepare for heat waves in the coming months, amid a previous survey by a meteorologist that showed they were becoming more likely due to climate change. Meteorologists said the southern regions of the United Kingdom could reach 30 degrees Celsius and even 34 degrees Celsius in the southeast, while in the northeast and northwest temperatures are expected to jump to 28 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature reached in the UK so far this year was 27.5 C (81.5 F) in Heathrow on 17 May. Met Office Deputy Chief Dan Meteorologist Dan Rudman said temperature forecasts are unusual for this time of year. “Many areas will also see some warm nights with minimal temperatures that are expected to be in high teens or even 20 degrees Celsius for some overnight,” he said. “The heat is the result of a heating mixture being grown in the house during the day due to the high pressure, as well as an air flow to the south that introduces some of the warm air from the continent to the UK coast.” A heat wave is defined as three consecutive days of daily maximum temperatures that cover or exceed the temperature limit of the heat wave. The limit varies in each prefecture. In March, heatwaves were raised in eight counties by the Met Office in response to the warming climate that made the original thresholds obsolete. Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “Temperatures are forecast to reach 30 degrees Celsius in some parts of the south on Friday and we all want to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives and know the good health tips for dealing with warmer conditions. “During hot weather, it is especially important to continue to control those who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly and those with heart or lung disease.” A spokesman for the Environment Agency said there was a low risk of drought, but warned that further hot and dry weather could put pressure on some areas. NHS hot weather advice suggests that people stay away from the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., stay hydrated, use sunscreen and wear loose clothing.
