A yellow heat health alert in place in Salford has been extended by 24 hours as the UK experiences its hottest May day on record.
The record-breaking temperatures set on Monday have been surpassed by Tuesday’s high heat, the Met Office said.
Salford reached temperatures as high as 33C on Tuesday afternoon and, amid the sweltering conditions, a health warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) ahead of the bank holiday weekend has been extended.
The yellow alert will remain in effect until 5pm on Thursday 28 May with temperatures forecast to approach 28C.
The warning means that the weather is likely to affect vulnerable groups.
The UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is warning of “significant impacts” on health and social care services.
These include a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, increased demand on health and social care services and heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services.
The UKHSA warned that the heatwave may put vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings at risk due to their homes overheating.
Monday broke the record for the hottest May day ever, with a temperature of 34.8C recorded at Kew Gardens in southwest London.
But forecasters have confirmed that Tuesday temperatures have “provisionally” passed that figure.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Today is now the hottest day in May on record with Heathrow and Kew Gardens provisionally reaching 35.0C,” the Met Office says.
“Until yesterday, the highest temperature in May was 32.8C, but we’ve now exceeded that record on consecutive days by a full two degrees Celsius.”
Meanwhile, train operating company Northern Rail has asked that, in the hot weather, commuters stay hydrated and carry a bottle of water.
They also urged people travelling to use shaded areas of train stations during high heat, wear suncream to protect themselves and asked people feeling unwell to speak to a member of staff rather than boarding their trains.
“Plan ahead and take extra care with children and older passengers,” the transport provider said.
Train services across Britain are also being disrupted as temperatures soar, with Network Rail imposing a series of speed restrictions on tracks to keep trains safe.
