The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a health warning lasting until Saturday with the country bracing for another heat wave.
Warning level 3 is in place for southern and central England and level 2 for the north. Grade 4 is the most severe indication.
The Met Office says temperatures are likely to drop to their lowest point through the mid-30s in central and southern parts of the UK – but won’t be as extreme as the record heat in July when the heat meter above 40°C.
Find out the five-day forecast where you live
The Met Office said outside of the hottest areas, much of England, Wales and south-east Scotland could see temperatures in the 20s, with the possibility of a few spots dropping to the lowest point. is 30, the Met Office said.
Scotland and Northern Ireland will also see high temperatures in the 20s and could hit the official heatwave criteria on Friday, forecasters said.
The Met Office recently raised the temperature required for an official heatwave for eight UK counties, to reflect warming conditions in the UK.
With the latest heat wave following months of light rain, leaving rural and urban parks and gardens parched, households in some areas are being advised not to light fires or hold fires. barbecue.
The Met Office’s Fire Severity Index (FSI), an assessment of the severity of a fire if a fire starts, is very high for most of England and Wales, and will hit “special” for a region in the UK by the end of the week.
Read more:
Top tips to save water during a heatwave
What uses most of the water in our homes, where does our water come from and what happens during drought?
Scientists claim that the likelihood of drought is increasing due to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and other human activities.
Dr Leslie Mabon, lecturer in environmental systems at the Open University, said: “Above all, the risk of drought we are seeing in the UK is a reminder that we urgently need to tackle the problem. at the source: this means reducing emissions from fossil fuels to limit the harmful levels of climate change we will face.
The graphs below show a measure of drought known as the standardized precipitation index from the UK Center for Ecology & Hydrology for July and for the 12 months prior.
“Moreover, countries like the UK, which have traditionally had a milder climate and have less experience in managing the lingering effects of prolonged heatwaves, need to plan now. time to adapt to hotter weather.
“More than incentivizing individuals to save water, this also means looking at our water infrastructure and looking at where to invest it to make sure we’re better prepared for water management.” during heat waves.”
Professor Martin Siegert, co-director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London, said: “Climate warming is understandable to everyone as the UK is burning, water is becoming scarce and crop yields are falling.
“While such things are a consequence of greenhouse gas emissions and because global temperatures will rise further, we must renew efforts to reduce emissions to ‘net zero’ as soon as possible. the better.”
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Meanwhile, Southern Water has imposed a ban on the use of flexible hoses for customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Temporary restrictions on water use will also be in effect for South East Water customers during Kent and Sussex from 12 August, with similar rules being announced by Welsh Water for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire later this month.
Others have warned they may need to follow suit, following the driest eight months from November to June since 1976 and the driest July on record for southern regions and east of England.
