Derbyshire issued with heat-health alert as temperatures set to soar this weekend

Derbyshire has been included in the first heat-health alert of the year, with temperatures set to soar across the county this weekend. The East Midlands is one of six regions where a yellow heat alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office.

Some places may see highs of 29C or 30C on Saturday (June 10) and Sunday (June 11). In Derby, temperatures are expected to reach 25C on Saturday and 24C on Sunday.

An Iberian plume, whipped up by the bloc of high-pressure sitting across the UK, will leave the country sizzling. The other regions affected by the heat alert are London, the West Midlands, the East of England, the South East and South West.

The alert comes into force at 9am on Friday (June 9) and will remain in place until 9am on Monday (June 12). The UK Health Security Agency warns that the health and care sector could suffer as a result, with people being asked to check on vulnerable friends and family.

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A yellow alert means that weather could increase the use of health services needed by vulnerable parts of the population, especially the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “In the coming days we are likely to experience our first sustained period of hot weather of the year so far, so it’s important that everyone ensures they keep hydrated and cool while enjoying the sun.

“Forecasted temperatures this week will primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

“If you have friends, family or neighbours who you know are more vulnerable to the effects of hot weather, it is important you check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.”

Long-range weather forecasters have been looking at the charts and doing their best to predict what might happen, with the caveat that predicting the weather any more than a few days in advance is fraught with difficulty. But the Met Office does issue a long-range forecast to give an idea of some general themes we can expect.

The initial long-range forecast for between June 11-20 suggests that we can expect the glorious weather to continue, with plenty of dry weather and sunshine. For those living in the south and west there’s the possibility of showers, moving northeast across much of the UK eventually.

The forecast continues: “Temperatures generally widely very warm, locally hot, and becoming humid especially in the south and southeast. Winds generally light or moderate for most areas. Later, most likely plenty of fine and settled weather with sunny and clear conditions for many parts. Likely to be warmer than normal for much of the UK. Risk of showers, possibly heavy and thundery, especially in southern parts.”

The second part of the forecast, for between June 21 and July 5, suggests that temperatures will return to average levels but it’s “very unlikely” to be cooler than normal. There will be a greater chance of rain to the west and the northwest.

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