First ever red weather warning for extreme heat issued for Suffolk

Suffolk County Council announced on 15 July 2022 that a red weather warning had been issued for the county, describing it as "the first ever heat related red weather warning being issued for the county"¹. The warning was in place for Suffolk for Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July, with the Met Office warning of a widespread impact on people and infrastructure as temperatures reached almost 40 degrees in the county¹. The council said the warning followed the Met Office's first ever Red Extreme Heat Warning for the same two days¹.

Suffolk Resilience Forum set out precautions for residents, including drinking plenty of fluids and carrying water when out and about, staying out of the sun where possible for the whole of Monday and Tuesday, especially between 11am and 3pm, applying sunscreen and wearing a hat when going out, avoiding physical activity during the hottest parts of the day, and checking in on the vulnerable, including the elderly and those who live alone¹. The council said travel disruption was likely, with people expected to travel to Suffolk's coast during the good weather and the potential for speed restrictions on the county's rail networks; it said unnecessary travel should be avoided on Monday and Tuesday and that anyone who must make a journey should check for delays before leaving home¹. Suffolk Highways had begun pre-emptive dusting at sites that had recently been surface dressed to reduce the risk of the material breaking away from the surface below, and drivers were asked to take extra care and to report problems on 0345 606 6171¹.

The council reported an increase in fires in the open during the preceding days. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service encouraged people to avoid barbecues and campfires on dry grass or near hedges, to put out cigarettes properly before disposing of them, and to call 999 immediately at the first sign of a fire¹. On swimming, the council said around 85% of drownings take place in open water because of shock from cold water temperatures, strong currents and uneven banks and riverbeds¹. It said the decision to close a school during extreme weather is taken by the headteacher, with schools making their own provisions for keeping children safe¹.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), which describes itself as the electricity Distribution Network Operator responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland, said it was monitoring forecasts and taking precautionary measures, and that its operational teams would restore power where it is safe to do so². It urged people not to approach any damage to its equipment and to report it by calling 105 or via the Power Track App². SSEN said it was checking in with customers on the highest categories of its Priority Services Register, which provides extra help and support during a power cut; it listed eligibility as being deaf or hard of hearing, having a disability, living with children under five, being blind or partially sighted, having a chronic illness, using medical equipment or aids reliant on electricity, being over 60, or temporarily needing extra support, with enquiries on 0800 294 3259².

Why it matters for households

The warning applied to Suffolk for two days, Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July 2022, and the Met Office forecast a widespread impact on people and infrastructure as temperatures reached almost 40 degrees in the county¹. The precautions set out by the Suffolk Resilience Forum covered people who are usually fit and well as well as those more vulnerable to heat¹. The forum's chair asked people to follow the safety guidance to help avoid emergency services being put under more pressure from heat related injuries, fires in the open or water rescues, and said anyone feeling unwell should contact 111 online in the first instance, with 999 used for life threatening emergencies only¹. SSEN's priority services offer extra support during a power cut to households that qualify under its listed categories². The Met Office weather warnings guide explains the yellow, amber and red levels, and the heat-health alerts guide sets out how heat alerts differ; the guide to who is most at risk in hot weather covers vulnerability to heat, and the Met Office thresholds guide explains what counts as a heatwave in the UK. Households can read how to sign up for Met Office weather alerts and how to sign up for heat-health alerts, and the Adverse Weather and Health Plan guide describes how services respond. Further material sits in the heatwaves and drought hub and the storms and snow hub.

What happens next

The council said residents could keep updated by visiting its extreme heat warning information page, following @SuffolkCC on Twitter or Suffolk County Council on Facebook, monitoring the Met Office forecast, checking the Suffolk school closures website for up-to-date information on school closures, and following @SuffolkLibrary on Twitter and Suffolk Libraries UK on Facebook for updates on any potential closures to libraries¹. SSEN said its engineers would investigate reported damage as soon as possible².