Oldham could hit 31C as Heat Health Alert issued
Date published: 09 August 2022
The warning stays in place until Saturday
Temperatures in Oldham are expected to soar over the next six days as the UK experiences another heatwave.
Oldham Chronicle weather expert, Jon Baylis of @ChadWeather says heatwave conditions will be with us until Sunday, with temperatures rising to 31C (89F).
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a heat health alert for all regions of England as the entire country braces itself for another heatwave.
The low levels of rain have already prompted several water companies in the South to announce hosepipe bans and others have warned they may need to follow suit.
The Met Office’s fire severity index - an assessment of how severe a fire could become if one were to start - is now 'very high' for most of England and Wales, and will reach “exceptional“ for a swathe of England by the weekend. This is the highest possible level.
Job Baylis says it isn't an official heatwave just yet.
"We need 3 consecutive days of 25C & above to class it as a heatwave. Today is day one, although we can't officially say it's a heatwave until Thursday.
"We're looking at six - maybe seven - days of heatwave conditions, locally 31C, before much cooler air and some showers arrive into next week."
The Heat Health Alert will be in place from midday today, and will last until 6pm on Saturday.
Temperatures are not forecast to reach the record-breaking levels of the most recent heatwave but are expected to rise throughout the week, potentially reaching low-30 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday in Oldham.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UKHSA, said: "Temperatures will feel very warm again this week, particularly in southern and central parts of the country.
"We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives but remember that heat can have a fast impact on health. It’s important to ensure that people who are more vulnerable – elderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditions – are prepared for coping during the hot weather.
"The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating."
Today's forecast from Jon:
Very warm with plenty of sunny spells after patchy cloud to start.
Bedtime temp: 20°C
Max 25°C Min 14°C
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