Amber and yellow heat health alerts are in force across parts of the UK as the UK 35°C temperature forecast peaks on Wednesday. The hottest places are set to reach 35C, while a weather front on Thursday should bring fresher air and a drop of 5C-8C.
People in the East Midlands, East of England, London and the south-east are under amber heat health alerts from 09:00 BST on 29 July until 09:00 BST on 30 July. The UK Health Security Agency says significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, and the alert warns of a rise in deaths, especially among people aged 65 and over or those with health conditions.
East Midlands and London alerts
The same period brings yellow heat alerts to the south-west, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber. Temperatures in southern and eastern England and parts of the Midlands are forecast to rise sharply, with some areas ranging from 30C to 35C at their highest point.
The Environment Agency declared an official drought for more than half of England on Wednesday. That declaration sits alongside the heat alerts and the forecast of a plume of intense heat moving north from North Africa, underlining how broad the current hot spell has become.
Wales and Northern England
For much of Wales and Northern England, the three-day run of temperatures of 25C or above needed to classify as a heatwave will not be met. Some eastern areas of Wales could edge into heatwave criteria, while temperatures in Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to rise closer to 20C at best.
The hottest conditions are expected on Wednesday before Thursday’s weather front moves through. For people in the alert areas, the practical change is immediate: heat-sensitive services face the most pressure now, and the worst of the heat should ease by Thursday even if mid- to high 20s Celsius linger into the weekend.
