Birmingham has entered an unprecedented red heat alert, marking only the second time the Midlands has faced the Met Office’s highest heat warning. Starting at 9am on Wednesday, June 24, this 36-hour alert will remain in place until 9pm on Thursday, June 25.
The red warning signals severe and significant impacts due to extreme temperatures, threatening widespread health risks beyond the usual vulnerable groups and posing potential dangers to life. The last time the Midlands experienced such a warning was during the 2022 heatwave, when the Lickey Hills caught fire, Luton Airport faced flight delays as its runway surface melted, and Henley-in-Arden’s famed ice cream parlour closed early as citizens sought refuge from the heat.
The Met Office predicts temperatures to reach 33°C late Wednesday afternoon, soaring to a peak of 36°C on Thursday. The alert emphasizes the need for substantial adjustments in daily routines and working practices, highlighting a high risk of failures in heat-sensitive infrastructure, including power cuts and disruptions to essential services like water, gas, electricity, and mobile networks.
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In response, dozens of schools across the Midlands have closed partially or entirely, while the West Midlands Ambulance Service advises the public to stay clear of open water for safety reasons.
Dr. Will Lang, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, explained, “We anticipate extreme temperatures into the high 30s Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by uncomfortably high overnight temperatures and humid conditions, posing risks especially to vulnerable populations.”
He added that this heatwave will surpass previous June high temperatures and represents a much larger scale event than the end-of-May heatwave experienced earlier this year. Unlike last year’s “short, sharp” spell which saw temperatures exceeding 40°C in some areas, the current heat is expected to be more prolonged.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a red health warning covering six English regions, including the West Midlands, from 1am Wednesday through 11pm Thursday. This warning highlights a risk to life even for healthy individuals and warns of broader impacts on transport, food, water, energy supplies, and businesses.