Written by Amy Beecham
Many of us might be enjoying the warmer weather, but the UK heatwave poses some very real dangers, too.
Over the past few days, the country has been enjoying some high temperatures that make a welcome change to the usual drizzle of a British summer.
But heatwaves aren’t just about ice cream for lunch and trips to the outdoor pool – they can have a very serious impact.
Following the previous amber alert earlier this week, the Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for the first time ever and declared a “national emergency”.
The Met Office’s highest warning means that there is a risk to life, and covers an area including London, Manchester and York on Monday and Tuesday, where temperatures are expected to hit up to 40°C.
It urged people to “please take this warning seriously and take steps to keep you and those around you safe.”
People in the UK are used to treating hot weather as a “chance to go and play in the sun” but “this is not that sort of weather”, said Met Office CEO Penny Endersby.
Heatwaves bring with them a risk of heat stress and heat stroke, which occurs when the body’s means of controlling its internal temperature starts to fail.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, typical symptoms include:
- an inability to concentrate
- muscle cramps
- heat rash
- severe thirst – a late symptom of heat stress
- fainting
- heat exhaustion – fatigue, giddiness, nausea, headache, moist skin
- heat stroke – hot dry skin, confusion, convulsions and eventual loss of consciousness. This is the most severe disorder and can result in death if not detected at an early stage
The heatwave, which originated in north Africa, has slowly been spreading across Europe and has fuelled wildfires in Portugal, France and Spain.
Images: Getty
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