RESIDENTS across Berkshire are being urged to take precautions as an Amber weather alert comes into effect today amid extreme heat.
The Met Office has issued the warning as temperatures in Reading are set to reach as high as 35° Celsius later today (Thursday, August 13), and overnight temperatures set to remain as high as 20°.
Elsewhere in the southeast, temperatures could reach as high as 38° in the latest in a run of record-breaking heatwaves throughout the UK this summer.
This June was the hottest on record, and last month also broke previous records as both the warmest and the driest ever logged by the University of Reading’s Meteorological department.
Prolonged heat and an unprecedented lack of rain has left huge swathes of the country in drought conditions and made the risk of wildfires high.
This week’s heatwave has led to warnings of adverse health affects, especially for those vulnerable to the heat, including a likelihood of sunburn and heat exhaustion.
The Met Office has also warned that changes to work and daily routines are likely to be needed, as well as changes and delays to public transport.
Residents are urged to remain hydrated and keep out of the sun as much as possible, especially between 11am-3pm, when the sunshine is strongest.
They are also advised to help to protect vulnerable people, including older people, those with underlying conditions, and those who live alone.
The Amber warning is in place between 9am and midnight tonight across Berkshire, as well as much of the south, the Midlands, and parts of Northern England.
Full details and safety advice are available via: metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice
