UK weather: Met Office urges people to 'stay out of sun' until Friday as temperatures pass 33C

Temperatures soared to their highest of 2018 on Monday as the mercury reached 33.3C in Suffolk. 

As Britain basks in glorious sunshine for yet another week, experts have warned the heatwave risks bringing on a faux autumn with prematurely ripening fruits and browning leaves.

Medical professionals have also warned the heatwave risks sending pensioners with underlying health issues "over the edge" as A&E departments reach peak levels. 

The Woodland Trust said the unprecedented hot and dry weather is causing blackberries and other hedgerow fruits to mature two months ahead of their usual growth pattern in some parts of the country, spelling danger for the animals that feed on them.

It came as the Met Office issued an Amber alert cautioning people to stay out of the sun, although thousands of beachgoers ignored the advice.

Sandown Downham in Suffolk, part of the country that has gone without rainfall for more than a month, claimed the year’s record with a thermometer reading of 33.3C.

However, weather forecasters predict this will be trumped by temperatures of up to 35 on Thursday or Friday.

GP Dr Hein Le Reux told the BBC: "It's really serious because older people have underlying problems and are perhaps on many tablets, and the hot weather just tips them over into not being able to cope. 

"We're seeing a spike in our A&E demands. Departments locally have been the busiest on record."

The searing temperatures prompted the TUC to call on firms to allow informal dress to keep office workers cool.

The Woodland Trust said it had received dozens of reports of blackberries or bramble and rowan berries ripening, with the earliest sightings two months earlier than the usual date towards the end of August.

It also warned that leaves on trees may begin to change colour far earlier than usual in a bid to preserve water, making them susceptible to threats such as pests and disease.

The trust  said that if the current hot, dry weather continues, the lack of rain could lead to berries being smaller or dropping from trees and shrubs altogether, threatening migratory birds such as fieldfares and redwings which usually arrive in the UK in October.

Dr Kate Lewthwaite, citizen science manager, said: "It may be the height of summer, but because of the recent weather, we're already anticipating signs of autumn.” 

"This year spring suddenly burst forth in April after being subdued by snow in March.

“Now, with this heatwave, it will be interesting to see how other seasonal timings and species are affected for the rest of 2018."

The dry spell is causing a 55-mile stretch of the historic Leeds and Liverpool to close for at least a month from next week unless there is a significant downpour in the meantime.

Meanwhile the National Farmers’ Union said the dried-out grass was causing problems for livestock and dairy farmers who are being forced to dig into their winter fodder supplies to keep their animals fed.

NFU Deputy President Guy Smith said: “Farmers are used to dealing with the challenges extreme weather can pose but this unprecedented spell of 40 days of sunshine and sustained high temperatures has been unusual. It’s another example of the extra pressures and volatility farmers are facing at this time.

The Amber, or level three, warning is issued when temperatures are predicted to hit 30C (86F) during the day, and 15C (59F) at night, for at least two consecutive days.

There is a 90% possibility of heatwave conditions between 9am on Monday and 9am Friday in parts of England, mainly in the south and east.

"Stay out of the sun," the Met Office advice reads.

"Keep your home as cool as possible – shading windows and shutting them during the day may help.”

Battersea Dogs Hogs and Cats Home said they were using paddling pools to keep their animals cool and cautioned owners not to walk their pets during the hottest parts of the day.

Public Health England said temperatures “may leave older people, young children and those with long-term conditions, including heart and lung diseases, struggling to adapt to the heat.

"So keep an eye on friends and family who may be at risk.”

Britain tries to keep cool in heatwave, in pictures

Met Office weather forecast for week ahead

The Met Office said: "On Monday, hot and humid air will lie over the east and south east of England, with cloud and outbreaks of rain across northern England.

"The cloud and rain will gradually break up and turn showery in the north, with some of these heavy and thundery.

"South of the rain, long spells of sunshine, will develop with temperatures generally ranging from very warm in West and East Midlands, to hot and humid, locally very hot in east and southeastern areas.

"Away from northern England, dry and sunny weather should dominate through the week, but interspersed with heavy showers in afternoon and evening periods. Temperatures will be very warm or hot, locally very hot in the east.

"Thresholds could be breached in places from Monday onwards, with very warm and muggy overnight conditions.

"Yorkshire and Humber and southwest England will also see temperatures rise through the week, but with cloud and outbreaks of rain affecting the north and west, there is a lower risk of thresholds being reached. There is a chance that Alerts will need to be downgraded and/or extended for the end of the week, however confidence is currently low and this will be reviewed through the week."

UK could be set to bake on hottest day of year

Temperatures could soar to more than 34C (93.2F) in some parts of the country on Wednesday, beating the 33C (91.4F) recorded at Porthmadog in North Wales on June 28.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: "It does look likely it will be at least 33C at some point this week, most likely on Wednesday or Thursday, in the south east and east, London, Essex, Kent, east Anglia and into Lincolnshire - and that would make it the hottest day we have had so far."

Temperatures are likely to be lower elsewhere. Forecasters said there is a chance of hitting 34C or 35C (95F), which could put Britons in line for the hottest day since the mercury hit 34.5C (94.1F) at Heathrow on June 21 last year.

The hottest July day on record is 36.7C (98F), which was reached at Heathrow on July 1 2015.

The hot weather will lead to thunderstorms and it "could all happen on the same day", Mr Burkill added.

He said: "The heat and humidity means there is a lot of energy in the air and a high risk of intense thunderstorms. Whether or not it will happen is where the uncertainty is."

Instead of 23C (73.4F) which could usually be expected in London in July, temperatures could tip 34C (93.2).

Scotland, which averages 17C (62.6), could enjoy highs of up to 25C (77F), while Wales could jump to 26C (78.8F) or 27C (80.6F) instead of 19.2C (66.5F).

Those in Northern Ireland may be basking in 24C (75.2F) rather than the July average of 18.5C (65.3F).

Mr Burkill also said the current run of fine weather looks set to continue.

He said: "It always seems that when the schools break up that is when we get the bad weather, but in this instance that is not the case."

The first half of the summer in the UK has been the driest since 1961

The Met Office said several places have had 54 consecutive dry days since May 30, including a few which have had less than 1mm of rain in the period. It is also the longest spell with less than 1mm of rain since 1969, when 70 days passed with no significant rainfall.#

Forecasters classify a "dry day" as one with less than 1mm of rain. 

The places and their total rainfall over the 54 days are: Heathrow (0.4mm), Hampton Water works (0.6mm), Kenley Airfield (1mm), Cambridge NIAB (1mm), Cavendish (1.6mm), and High Wycombe (1.8mm).

Shoreham Airport is close behind with 53 consecutive days of less than 1mm of rain, and Church Lawford has had 52 consecutive dry days starting on June 1.

A Met Office spokesman said: "It's the driest first half of the summer since 1961.

"For the UK as a whole, we've only seen about 20% of the rainfall we'd normally expect throughout the whole summer. Parts of southern England have seen only 6%."

The longest run of days with no rain this summer so far is 48 days at Brooms Barn, near Bury St Edmunds, since June 5.

Weather map for Monday and week ahead

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