Amber heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), with these having been in place since the end of last week.
Unbearably warm weather like this is often caused by what is known as the “heat dome” effect.
What is a ‘heat dome’ and what causes it?
The term “heat dome” is used to describe conditions that are not too dissimilar to a pizza oven, according to Sky News.
This is caused when an area of high pressure lingers over a region for days or weeks.
The pressure traps the hot air like the dome of a pizza oven, baking the air and surface underneath.
As the ground parches, it begins to absorb more of the heat, making conditions much worse.
Is the heat dome effect coming to the UK this week?
A heat dome is currently sitting above Europe at the moment, with the UK being at the cusp of its reach.
This means the UK is being impacted by the heat dome effect in much the same way as countries like Greece, which are basking in 40C weather, are.
Which areas are covered by the heat-health alert in England this week?
Several regions across England are covered by the heat-health alert issued by the Met Office and UKHSA.
These are the following places covered by the Amber Alert, which has been in place since Thursday and Friday.
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and the Humber regions
- East Midlands
- South East
- South West
- London
- East of England
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Discussing the heatwave, Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: “The current spell of hot weather is forecast to continue until the middle of this week, with temperatures above 30°C likely in most regions of England.
“We are reminding everyone to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
“Remember that it is very important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable, as the temperatures we are likely to see over the next few days can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions.”
