UK weather forecast: Health alert issued as temperatures soar ahead of weekend scorcher
BRITAIN is set to swelter as the school holidays get underway with temperatures expected to soar to 30C (86F) on Saturday with the heatwave continuing into next week and possibly beyond.
BBC weather: HOT and HUMID air to hit UK next week
But while the country basks in wall-to-wall sunshine the elderly, very young and those with underlying health problems are risk heat-related ailments.
Dr Thomas Waite of Public Health England warned: “Temperatures are likely to rise on Friday, through the weekend and potentially into next week.
“Older people, the young and those with long-term conditions such as heart and lung diseases may struggle to adapt.
“Keep out of the sun from 11am-3pm, walk in shade and use sunscreen. Wear a hat if you go out in heat and carry water when travelling.”
The heat will be building into the weekend and early next week
Met Office weather expert Dean Hall said: "The last heatwave ended with a temperature breakdown, but it looks as though we are going back into the heat again.
"The heat will be building into the weekend and early next week.
"But with the increasing heat and humidity there's always a chance of one or two thunderstorms."
Mr Hall said most of the country would enjoy warm and dry conditions with the hot, sunny weather predicted to last into next week when top temperatures could reach 31C.
He said: “It's a very warm weekend with plenty of fine, dry weather around, with the exception being a little bit of cloud in western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"But otherwise a good deal of fine, dry weather and very warm if not hot conditions."
The latest hot spell comes after the Met Office said Britain could see a record-breaking summer if temperatures stay above average.
Conditions have been unusually dry, with the UK having just 1.85in of rain so far, making it the driest start to summer in modern records which date back to 1961.