Met Office issue Amber weather warning for extreme heat for FOUR DAYS ahead of 36C summer sizzler

BRITS have been issued an Amber Weather Warning by the Met Office for extreme heat over the next FOUR days.

Parts of England and Wales should beware of red hot temperatures lasting from Thursday until Sunday as a 35C heatwave nears.

Temperatures are set to soar to 35C by Friday in most of southern England and parts of Wales, after balmy highs of 29C yesterday.

Temperatures are expected to peak at mid-30s on Friday and Saturday - especially in London, the Midlands, and southeast and southwest England.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to enjoy high 20s this week which could rise to heatwave conditions by Friday.

The sweltering heat won't reach the record temperatures of July, however, which peaked above 40C in many areas.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Rudman said: “Thanks to persistent high pressure over the UK, temperatures will be rising day-on-day through this week and an Extreme heat warning has been issued.  

“Temperatures are expected to peak at 35C on Friday and Saturday, or even an isolated 36C on Saturday. Elsewhere will see temperatures widely into the high 20s and low 30s Celsius.  

“Coupled with the high daytime temperatures there will be some warm nights, with temperatures expected not to drop below the low 20s Celsius for some areas in the south.” 

Similarly, the UK Health Security Agency has already released a Level 3 Heat Health Alert for southern and central England lasting until 6pm on Saturday.

Officials have warned Brits to look after each other in the fierce heat of the next few days.

Those in the hottest areas should take care to stay hydrated, close their curtains and avoid wildfire smoke.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UKHSA said: "We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives but remember that the heat can have a fast impact on health.

"It's important to ensure that people who are more vulnerable - elderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditions - are prepared for coping during the hot weather.

"The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating."

Unfortunately, an Amber Warning also means that the heat could disrupt travel plans, with road and rail closures, the risk of power cuts and the danger of wildfires.

Brits should plan ahead for their journeys to avoid the hottest parts of the day and make sure to check their vehicles before setting off.

It's also important to drink enough water and keep pets cool.

Last week, the Met Office said southern England had experienced its driest July since records began in 1836.

South-East and central southern England had an average of just 5mm (0.2ins) of rain last month, while East Anglia had only slightly more with 5.4mm (0.21ins).

As a result fires have broken out across the UK where dry grass and woodlands have caught alight.

At the end of last month, a massive wildfire erupted in Suffolk just hours after fire crews tackled a series of enormous blazes across London and Surrey.

Knodishall Common in the east of the coastal county was engulfed by flames on Sunday evening - sending black smoke billowing across the area.

To avoid more wildfires, Brits have been advised not to light bonfires or have barbecues.

Most of England and Wales has reached a "very high" fire severity index which may become "exceptional" by the weekend - a measurement of how bad a fire could become if it were to start.

Another consequence of the hot, dry weather has been hosepipe bans across the country.

Nearly a million Brits across the country could be forbidden from watering their gardens or cleaning their cars for months, the Met Office has warned.

Brits in certain areas are forbidden from using hosepipes to water gardens or clean cars, and ornamental ponds and private swimming pools must remain empty.

Anyone who defies the rules could be slapped with a fine of up to £1,000.

Sadly, the heatwaves are also damaging landscapes, gardens and wildlife, the National Trust warned.

As well as wildfires in some beauty spots, the heat has prevented the growth of certain species and dried up water features in some historic gardens.