Temperatures are set to climb this week as London faces a heatwave stretching into the middle of the month.
The Met Office is expecting highs close to the peak of June’s record-breaking hot spell as the capital is once-again gripped by rising temperatures.
It is forecasting seven straight days of temperatures reaching or exceeding 30C in London - starting with 34C on Monday. That would represent a big jump in temperatures in just a day, with parts of London reaching a high of just over 27C on Sunday.
A week-long warning from health officials has come into force for parts of the UK, including London, saying high temperatures over the coming days could cause a greater risk to life for vulnerable people.
The heatwave also raises the threat of more travel disruption for Londoners after record hot weather in June sparked “do not travel” warnings on the railways and delays and cancellations to commuter service.
And it will increase speculation over a potential hosepipe ban for London this summer, with one water company already urging people in the capital not to waste supplies.
Outside of London, Southern Water has issued a hosepipe pan from 12.01am on July 10 in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
South East Water’s temporary hosepipe ban for people living in Kent came into force on Friday.
The Met Office said temperatures in London are forecast to rise to 34C on Monday, with daytime highs no lower than 32C throughout the working week.
Yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The agency said that within the warning area, minor impacts were likely across health and social care services because of the high temperatures, including increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and a greater risk to life to the same group.
It also warned of a potential increase in water-related incidents, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.
Southern Water says on its website that “the warmest spring on record, followed by a record-breaking heatwave, has left river levels 25% lower than expected for this time of year”.
It adds that the River Test has lost a third of its water within the last month, “putting pressure on our ability to treat and supply your water”.
Southern Water says: “To protect local rivers, including the River Test and Itchen that supply most of your water, and to keep taps flowing, we need to introduce restrictions.
“We recognise that customers with medical needs may still need to use a hosepipe. Customers on our priority services register with medical or mobility needs, including blue badge holders and those on our WaterSure tariff, are exempt. Anything you can do to reduce or avoid hosepipe use would be greatly appreciated.”
A hosepipe ban stops customers using a hosepipe for non-essential activities, including: watering gardens, including using a sprinkler system; filling paddling pools, hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds or fountains; washing cars, patios or windows.
Southern Water says the hosepipe ban will be removed “as soon as we can”, adding “this can only happen when there’s enough water in our reservoirs, rivers and underground aquifers to meet demand”.
The UKHSA’s new alert comes after a sweltering heatwave in June, during which the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat for parts of the country and the UKHSA put red heat health alerts in place.
The UK set a provisional June temperature record of 37.7C in Lingwood in Norfolk, according to the Met Office.
It beats the previous June record for the UK of 35.6C dating back to 1976 by more than 2C.
Such records have usually been broken by only a fraction of a degree in the past.
