The Met Office has released the full list of UK regions expected to experience continued high temperatures on Friday, even as thunderstorms bring relief to parts of the country. With two extreme heat warnings—one amber and one red—still in effect, many areas will endure hot and humid weather, posing health and safety risks.
According to the Met Office, temperatures across much of England will remain exceptionally warm day and night. Peak daytime temperatures in eastern and central England are forecast to reach as high as 38°C. Overnight lows will stay in the high teens to low twenties Celsius, accompanied by high humidity, which exacerbates heat stress.
The Met Office highlights significant potential impacts on health and infrastructure: “Population-wide adverse health effects are likely, not only affecting vulnerable groups but the broader community, possibly leading to serious illness or life-threatening conditions. People will need to adjust working practices and daily routines to mitigate these risks.”
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Heat-sensitive systems and equipment may fail, increasing the likelihood of power outages and disruptions to essential services such as water, electricity, gas, and mobile phone networks. Additionally, higher visitor numbers to coastal areas and inland waters raise the risk of water safety incidents.
Travel disruptions are also expected. Road delays and closures, as well as cancellations or delays to rail and air services, could generate welfare issues even for moderate delays. The public is advised to prepare accordingly.
The red warning area, where the highest temperature impacts are anticipated on Friday, includes east and southeastern England. Maximum temperatures in the shade could surpass 36°C, even reaching 38°C. The persistent humidity will make nights uncomfortable, limiting chances for recovery and increasing health risks.
Cooler conditions are projected to gradually move in from the west over the weekend, but warm weather is likely to persist in the east and southeast, albeit at slightly reduced levels compared to earlier in the week.
The list of affected areas includes:
- Derby, Derbyshire
- Leicester, Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Rutland
- Bedford, Central Bedfordshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Peterborough
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
- Bracknell Forest
- Brighton and Hove
- Buckinghamshire
- East Sussex
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Reading
- Slough
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- West Sussex
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
- Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester
- Greater Manchester
- Halton
- Merseyside
- Warrington
- Gloucestershire
- Shropshire
- Staffordshire
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Telford and Wrekin
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands Conurbation
- Worcestershire
- North East Lincolnshire
- North Lincolnshire
- South Yorkshire
Residents in these areas should take precautions, stay hydrated, limit strenuous activities, and check on vulnerable neighbors and family members to minimize the impacts of this rare and intense heatwave.