Birmingham City Council has confirmed it is in contact with local schools as the city prepares for an extreme heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 39°C on Thursday. The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat, which is set to escalate to a rare red warning on Wednesday and Thursday.
Council's Stance on School Arrangements
A council spokesperson stated: “The health and wellbeing of pupils and staff is a top priority for us. For that reason, we are in contact with schools to lend support, and share guidance in line with national advice to help them manage the impact of high temperatures.” However, the council clarified that decisions on altering school day arrangements, including finishing times, are made by individual schools, as they are best placed to assess local circumstances. The council is supporting schools to take a sensible and flexible approach during the heatwave.
Met Office Warnings and Impacts
The Met Office warns that this “exceptional spell of hot and humid weather” could lead to transport delays, substantial changes in working practices, and “population-wide adverse health effects”. Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: “Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events and we’re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat. The last time the UK recorded temperatures this high was in July 2022, but on this occasion the heat is expected to be accompanied by high humidity.”
Heatwave Effects on Transport and Attractions
The heat is already affecting attractions near Birmingham, some of which have temporarily closed, and local transport. West Midlands Metro has implemented speed restrictions. The Met Office also notes that consecutive nights with temperatures not dropping below 20°C, known as a Tropical Night, will make it hard for people to recover from daytime heat. The current UK highest June temperature record of 35.6°C (recorded in Southampton in 1976 and Camden Square in 1957) is expected to be broken.
