The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat for Carmarthenshire, in place from Wednesday 24 June until midnight on Thursday 25 June, Carmarthenshire County Council has announced1. The council published the warning through its newsroom in June 20261.
The council said waste collection crews will begin their rounds earlier than usual during the warning, "starting from 5am instead of 6am"1. The change applies to all collections, including garden waste and hygiene/nappy waste, and residents are asked to put their waste out the night before collection or ensure it is ready before 5am on the day1.
The council set out the health risks it says residents should watch for, and the steps it advises:
| Area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Symptoms to watch for | Dehydration, nausea and fatigue, as well as sunburn1 |
| People to check on | Older neighbours, friends, and those with underlying health conditions1 |
| Sun exposure | Keep out of the sun where possible1 |
| Sunscreen | Wear SPF 30+ sunscreen1 |
| Clothing | Cover up with a hat, sunglasses and loose clothing1 |
| Drinking | Drink plenty of water1 |
| Open water | Avoid swimming in open water to cool off, as cold water shock can affect your body, even on a hot day1 |
"Residents are advised to remain alert to the symptoms of heat exhaustion, including dehydration, nausea and fatigue, as well as sunburn and to check in on older neighbours, friends, and those with underlying health conditions."
Why it matters for households
The warning covers the whole of Carmarthenshire and runs from Wednesday 24 June until midnight on Thursday 25 June1. Households whose waste is collected on those days are affected by the earlier start: bins must be out the night before or ready before 5am, and this applies to garden waste and hygiene/nappy waste as well as general collections1. The council advises residents to remain alert to the symptoms of heat exhaustion and sunburn and to check in on older neighbours, friends and those with underlying health conditions1. Its other advice covers staying out of the sun where possible, wearing SPF 30+ sunscreen, covering up with a hat, sunglasses and loose clothing, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding swimming in open water to cool off because cold water shock can affect the body even on a hot day1.
The council's announcement does not give forecast temperatures for the period, and no further detail on the warning's expected impacts has been reported1. How the Met Office's yellow, amber and red warnings are graded, and how heat-health alerts work in England, are set out in the site's guides; the warning described here is a Met Office extreme heat warning for Wales, and the council's announcement does not link it to a UKHSA heat-health alert1.
What happens next
The warning remains in place until midnight on Thursday 25 June1. The council has not announced any further changes to services beyond the earlier waste collection start1. Households can sign up for Met Office weather alerts and for heat-health alerts through the routes described in the site's guides.
Sources (1)
- Amber heat warning issued for Carmarthenshire - Carmarthenshire County Council, newsroom.carmarthenshire.gov.wales
Heat-Health Alerts Explained
Met Office Weather Warnings
