Amber weather warning issued for parts of Scotland next week

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for parts of southern Scotland next week as temperatures look set to reach 30C.

From Sunday the weather in Scotland will be sunny and hot, peaking on Tuesday, when the mercury will hover around 30C.

Weather forecasters warn there may be some adverse health effects for people vulnerable to extreme heat, such as young children and the elderly.

The public have been warned to watch out for sunburn or heat exhaustion, with changes in working practices and daily routines recommended.

There is a possible risk of power cuts due to failures in heat-sensitive systems and equipment.

With more people likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers, there could be an increased risk of incidents near water.

It comes following an unprecedented red weather warning for extreme heat in parts of England, where temperatures look set to reach 40C in what is a first for the Met Office.

Scottish Government Prepares For Potential Impacts

A Scottish Government Resilience (SGoRR) meeting has been held to prepare for the potential impacts of a Met Office Amber warning of extreme heat in Scotland next week.

The warning covers southern parts of Scotland from 00.00 on Monday 18 July to 23.59 on Tue 19 July. Red warnings are in place for other areas of the UK.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown, lead Minister for resilience, said:

“We are aware of the weather warnings currently in place and are receiving regular updates from partners including the Met Office and emergency services."

"Our resilience arrangements have been activated and stand ready at all times to coordinate a response to severe weather issues where required. We will continue to closely monitor developments."

“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol.

“I would also urge people to look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.

“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and people should be aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999.”

The Met Office warning covers southern parts of Scotland including eastern parts of Dumfries and Galloway, much of the Scottish Borders and parts of East Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Midlothian.

While these areas will see more extreme temperatures, it is important to note that there will be high temperatures across much of the country, especially up the east coast to the Moray Firth.

Potential Transport Issues

Scotland’s Railway is putting plans in place to manage the hot weather and keep passengers moving.

Network Rail engineers will carry out additional track inspections to check for heat-related problems while at some locations special remote monitoring equipment has been deployed to help spot rails which are becoming too hot.

Our engineers have also been preparing in advance – stressing sections of track (artificially stretching the rails) in known hot-spot areas to help them cope with sudden rises in temperature and painting rails white at key locations to help reflect the sun and keep them up to 10°C cooler.

Some speed restrictions will be in place on Scotland’s Railway early next week to help manage the impact of the extreme heat on the railway, but services in Scotland are expected to run as planned.

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “Our engineers will be out throughout the weekend and into next week monitoring rail temperatures and working hard to keep customers on the move.

“Heat can create real challenges for the railway, causing rails to expand and buckle, overhead lines to sag and surrounding land to dry out, making our tracks more susceptible to flooding once the weather breaks.

“We’re urging passengers to plan their journeys carefully, especially on cross-border routes as temperatures in England and Wales will be even more extreme than those we will face in Scotland.”

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.