The city is expected to be hotter than popular holiday destinations like Tenerife.
There might not be a cloud in the sky however things are well and truly hotting up in Brum this week, so much so the Met Office has issued an extreme heat warning. Areas such as South Wales, West Midlands including Birmingham, southwest England and parts of Hampshire are thought to be in for the hottest temperatures in the country.
According to the Met Office, Birmingham is expected to experience highs of around 30°C today (July 20), which prompted the meteorological service to publish an extreme heat warning set to last until midnight this Thursday (July 22). This amber warning is the first ever issued in the UK by the Met Office due to high temperatures reported both by day and night throughout the week leading to public health impacts.
Birmingham and other parts of the UK will experience hotter temperatures than popular holiday destinations such as Tenerife over the coming days. The Canary island is expected to reach highs of just 22°C in contrast to the sweltering heat affecting much of the UK.
In terms of what to expect from this extreme heat warning, adverse health effects are likely to be experienced by those vulnerable to extreme heat, as well as the wider population likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses. Plus, more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to an increased risk of water safety incidents.
The Met Office also added that some changes in working practices and daily routines likely to be required (does this mean we all get a fan or air con?) and 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 extreme heat warning may also lead to some delays for road, rail and air travel, with potential for welfare issues for those who experience prolonged delays.
Forecasters say we’re in for a sticky few days, at night as well, so make sure your freezer is stocked up with plenty of ice, find some shade and slap on some SPF.