Met Office issues first-ever ‘extreme heat’ warning in UK as temperatures soar UK News

THE Met Office has issued its first orange warning of ‘extreme heat’ for parts of the UK as temperatures continue to soar over the next few days.

Here’s what you need to know.

Where will the warning cover be – and how long will it stay in place?

The warning – which is similar to those issued when heavy rain or snow is forecast – covers much of Wales, all of South West England and parts of southern and central England, and will remain in effect until the end of Thursday.

This is the first time the warning has been issued since the Met Office announced last month it would issue weather warnings for extreme heat after a record number of heatwave deaths were recorded in England. last summer.

Temperatures are expected to reach 33C in parts of the west later this week, with highs of 20 and lows of 30 expected elsewhere.

What did the Met Office say?

Met Office chief operational meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: “The high temperatures are going to continue for much of this week.

“Many areas will continue to reach heatwave thresholds, but the orange extreme heat warning focuses on areas in the west where more unusually high temperatures are likely to persist.

“There is a persistent risk of isolated thunderstorms late in the afternoon, but most areas will remain dry until the end of the week.

“Temperatures are expected to start dropping in most areas before the weekend, with more volatile conditions looking to develop.”