Met Office Issues Level Two Heat Wave Alert

THE MET OFFICE issued a Level 2 Heat Wave Alert for London, East England, the East Midlands and the South East of England at 09:59 today.

During today and tomorrow (Saturday): London has a 60% chance of reaching maximum temperatures of 32C during the day and 18C at night.

The East and West Midlands, and East of England, could see similar temperatures reaching 30C and 15C respectively.

In the South East, temperatures are likely to reach 31C during the day and up to 15C at night.

The temperatures could have a significant effect on health if reached on at least two consecutive days and the intervening night.

The Met Office's heat warning is set at level two out of four on its scale of how likely temperatures are to cause health problems.

Those at most risk from the hot weather are the elderly and babies and young children.

To keep cool, the NHS advises wearing loose cotton clothes, spraying or splashing faces and the backs of necks with cold water several times a day and staying in the coolest rooms of the house as much as possible.

Windows should be kept closed when the room is cooler than it is outside.