Weather Message from Met Office Advisor for SW England - for the next 7 days - Amber Extreme Heat Warning issued for parts of the South West
The Met Office have issued an Amber Extreme Heat Warning for parts of the South West from Monday and the UKHSA have an Amber Heat Health Alert in place across the South West.
Amber Extreme Heat Warning issued for parts of the South West from Monday as temperatures rise this weekend, with exceptionally humid conditions and high overnight temperatures.
Upcoming weather warnings: Please note the warnings shown below are up-to-date at the time of sending this email, but please check here: UK weather warnings - Met Office or on Hazard Manager for the latest information, in case of any further updates.
Weather Overview:
Saturday 20th to Tuesday 23rd June: The hot, humid and sunny weather will develop further this weekend, although there may be some low cloud/sea fog around first thing Saturday morning, particularly around coasts, but this will clear up through the day. Temperatures will rise from east to west through this period, reaching into the mid to high 20s for inland areas and possibly the low to mid 30s in a few places from Monday. This means we could meet heatwave criteria across parts of the South West with 3 consecutive days of temperatures over 25-27 C. Monday and Tuesday currently look like the hottest days and there is still some uncertainty over how hot it might get, with the focus of the highest temperatures looking to be from East Devon up to Somerset and all areas east of there. Overnight temperatures through this period will likely vary a lot between inland low-lying rural areas, where they may still drop into single figures, and coastal or inland urban areas such as Bristol, which may see some warm nights, possibly tropical with temperatures not falling below 20 C. Humidity will also be exceptionally high throughout this period of heat which can exacerbate health impacts.
There is also the potential for impactful thunderstorms to develop but it is unclear if/where these will form so please keep an eye out for short notice thunderstorm warnings.
Further ahead: The hot and sunny weather may cling on until Wednesday across the South West although breezier conditions might provide some relief. By Thursday, temperatures are expected to fall although the weather will remain dry and widely sunny, and temperatures are still expected to remain above average for the time of year (low to mid 20s inland, high teens/low 20s around coasts).
Possible Impacts from the hot weather:
Adverse health effects amongst the wider population and those more vulnerable including a risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion/heatstroke, sunburn and other heat related illnesses.
Early-season heat can be more impactful due to lack of acclimatisation - especially with the humid conditions and warm nights making it more difficult to cool down/regulate body temperature.
Risks of cold water shock and drowning incidents as people head to the beach/bodies of water to seek relief from the warm weather, especially as sea/water temperatures are still cool at this time of year (10-14 C).
Large numbers heading to coast, parks and attractions → higher demand on local services and greater safety risks (e.g. water incidents).
Heat can cause disruption to road/rail and strain on energy/water systems
Warm conditions likely to persist into next week, prolonging cumulative impacts and sustained service demand.
Met Office Warnings:
The Met Office currently have issued an Amber Extreme Heat Warning valid from 01:00 Monday 22nd June until 23:59 Tuesday 23rd June
UKHSA Heat Health Alerts:
The UKHSA issued a Amber Heat Health Alert for the South West of England yesterday, which is valid until 8pm on Tuesday 23rd June with significant impacts are likely across the health and social care services. Vulnerable groups most at risk from the high temperatures this weekend and into next week include those aged 65 and over, people with health conditions and the very young.
Links to useful Warning and Informing material:
Flood Guidance Statement (FGS):
The FGS is GREEN for SW England and can be viewed here Flood Guidance (England & Wales) Guidance - Hazard Manager .
Messaging Strategy:
We will only send out further messages or updates over the weekend if any MEDIUM/HIGH impact weather warnings are issued or updated.
As usual, you can stay up to date with the latest forecast and warnings on Hazard Manager, the Met Office App or Met Office Website.
If you have any questions about this email or the expected weather, please feel free to email swengland&westmids.cca@metoffice.gov.uk and one of the team will get back to you during normal weekday working hours. If you require an immediate 24/7 response for urgent enquiries, please ring the duty EMARC Forecaster on 0330 135 4267.