Amber weather warning for extreme heat in Milton Keynes extended by 2 extra days as heatwave continues

An amber weather warning for extreme heat issued by the Met Office for southern England including Milton Keynes has been extended by two extra days.

The Met Office previously issued the warning ahead of a heatwave that in southern and eastern England and areas of Wales for Monday (22/06) and Tuesday (23/06).

Following updated forecasts, however, the warning will now also carry on for Wednesday (24/06) and Thursday (25/06), the heatwave forecast to continue beyond these days.

As of 1pm today (21/06), forecasts suggest sustained temperatures in the mid-30 degrees for Wednesday and Thursday, peaking at around 34 degrees C before falling on Friday (26/06).

Guidance issued is that population-wide adverse health effects are likely to be experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to potential serious illness or danger to life

Expected things to look out for in the face of the high heat is that more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents.

Adverse health effects are likely to be experienced by those vulnerable to extreme heat, with the wider population likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.

Some delays to road, rail and air travel are possible, with potential for welfare issues for those who experience prolonged delays. Some changes in working practices and daily routines are also likely to be required.

The guidance also advised that there is an increased chance that some heat-sensitive systems and equipment may fail, leading to power cuts and the loss of other services to some homes and businesses.

The highest ever temperature recorded in the nearest weather station to Milton Keynes in Woburn was recorded at 39.6 degrees C, which was during a major heatwave in July 2022. At time of reporting, the weather is forecast to fall slightly short of this overall record.

Expectations are that the weather could still set a record in the month of June, which was recorded at 35.6 degrees C and set in Southampton during a heatwave in 1976.

The news comes amid strong heat across much of western Europe, with high temperatures also expected in France, Germany and Spain among others. Temperatures of 42 degrees C are expected in some areas of France in the next few days.