Swathes of England are once more under heat health alerts as the latest wave of hot weather could see temperatures climb to the mid-30s.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has amber heat health alerts in place for the East Midlands, East of England, South East and London until Wednesday morning, as the Met Office says temperatures could reach 35C on Monday.
There are also yellow heat health alerts for the North West, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and The Humber, as the agency warns the latest high temperatures could put extra pressure on the NHS, with more vulnerable people likely to require medical treatment.
It is the latest spike in heat in a summer that has already seen record-breaking, deadly, heatwaves in May and June – which together saw more than 2,800 excess deaths – and further heatwaves in July, which have fuelled wildfires, drought and poor harvests.
Much of central and southern England is set to see highs in the upper 20s to low 30s, with peaks of 28-30C again on Tuesday, before temperatures ease slightly later in the week.
Low pressure moving in from the west could bring rain to northern and western parts of the UK, with a chance of showers reaching the South East on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A thunderstorm warning has been issued for Northern Ireland on Tuesday, with 20-30mm of rain potentially falling in an hour or two and the chance of some localised flooding and travel disruption.
And heavy showers and thunderstorms will develop for parts of England and Wales – though not everyone will see rain – with up to 30mm falling in some spots.
But experts at the Met Office have warned weather conditions in August are not looking favourable for delivering the kind of sustained rain needed to reverse the dry conditions that have left all of Wales and half of England officially in drought.
July looks set to have been the driest on record for England and Wales, and some places have had no rain for weeks.
Some 23 million customers are under hosepipe bans, the harvest has come early and farmers are warning of poor crop yields, livestock are already being fed winter feed, and rivers and the natural environment are struggling with low water levels.
The extreme summer has hit Europe-wide, with wildfires raging across France and Spain, in blazes that analysis shows are made more likely by climate change.
The UK is facing the impacts of increasingly extreme weather such as droughts and heatwaves fuelled by human-caused climate change, which is caused mostly by burning fossil fuels.
Polly Ashmore, of the UKHSA, said: “Periods of hot weather can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“We are urging health and social care services in affected regions to ensure they are prepared, and reminding people to look out for elderly relatives, neighbours and those with underlying health conditions, making sure they are aware of the forecast and following the necessary advice.
“Simple steps such as staying hydrated, avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day, and keeping your home cool are some of the key ways to help keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman has defended Andy Burnham over questions from journalists that the drought was not a priority for him.
The spokesman said Mr Burnham had spoken and made announcements on a number of different issues including the cost of living, devolution, social care, migration and defence “but clearly he’s only been in post briefly”.
He said the Government took climate change seriously, and was working with farmers, the Environment Agency and the water sector to manage the impacts of the exceptionally dry weather.
And amid rumours Mr Burnham may relax Labour’s stance against new North Sea drilling, the spokesman added the Prime Minister had been clear the Government will take “pragmatic approach”, with oil and gas a part of the mix.
But the only way to bring bills down for good is by taking control with “clean homegrown power to deliver energy security”, he said.
