Thunderstorms may follow hot weather in England
Following warnings about exceptionally hot weather across large parts of England, Oxfordshire and neighbouring areas now have three days of warnings related to thunderstorms.
It may be that the warning changes over coming days and it is worth monitoring forecasts.
National advice
With weather forecast to remain warm, good advice on staying cool still applies.
- The government has advice on keeping cool at home and also staying safe in hot weather
- The NHS has good information on the common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and how to cope in hot weather .
- The UKHSA's COVID-19 and summer temperatures blog post also provides advice on how to stay well in hot weather.
- If you need medical help that is not life-threatening, contact NHS 111 who will give you advice and point you to the best service for your needs.
Advice from Fire and Rescue
Our Fire and Rescue Service advises the following given the dry ground after recent hot conditions.
- Extinguish cigarettes properly, don’t throw the end on the ground and never throw cigarette ends out of car window
- Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland/grassland; sunlight shining through glass can start fires. Take them home and or put them in a waste or recycling bin
- Avoid using open fires in the countryside
- Only use barbecues in a suitable and safe area - never leave them unattended - dispose of the ash carefully when it is cold
- If you see a fire in the countryside, don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water - leave the area as quickly as possible and report it to the Fire and Rescue Service immediately.
Meanwhile earlier this year firefighters undertook a campaign to give people good water safety advice ahead of the summer . This advice certainly applies during the current exceptionally hot weather.
Power cuts
Information relating to any local power/electricity issues can be found on the websites Powertrack and Western Power Distribution.
If people experience a power cut, the national number to call is 105. It’s free of charge.