Heatwave Alert and Hosepipe Ban
The Met Office has issued a heatwave warning for parts of the UK, with temperatures set to reach 34C in the South East. Simultaneously, Southern Water has announced a hosepipe ban effective from 12:01am on July 10 in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The yellow heat health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), covers the East Midlands, East, South East, South West, and West Midlands, including London. It will be in effect from midday on Saturday until 8pm on July 11. The alert warns of potential risks to vulnerable individuals and increased pressure on healthcare services.
Temperature Forecast
According to the Met Office, temperatures in the South could hit 28°C on Saturday, rising to 29°C on Sunday, and approaching the low 30s next week. The peak is expected on Thursday or Friday, with 34°C in the South East. Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell stated: "We have got a heatwave on the way across parts of southern England and Wales. By comparison to the heatwave we saw in June, this heatwave won't be as hot and humid, but it will be a prolonged spell of hot weather which lasts around a week."
Northern areas will experience cloudier conditions with spells of rain, creating a north-south split. The UKHSA also cautioned about a potential rise in water-related incidents, including cold water shock and drowning.
Hosepipe Ban Details
Southern Water cited the warmest spring on record and a record-breaking heatwave, which left river levels 25% lower than expected. The River Test has lost a third of its water in the last month. The ban restricts non-essential hosepipe use, including watering gardens, filling paddling pools, hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds, fountains, and washing cars, patios, or windows.
Customers with medical needs on the priority services register, including blue badge holders and those on the WaterSure tariff, are exempt. Southern Water stated the ban will be lifted "as soon as we can" when water levels in reservoirs, rivers, and aquifers are sufficient.
Context and Comparison
This heatwave follows a June heatwave that set a provisional UK June temperature record of 37.7°C in Lingwood, Norfolk, surpassing the previous record of 35.6°C from 1976 by over 2°C. The UKHSA had previously issued red heat health alerts during that period.
