UK weather: Health alerts come into force ahead of second heatwave
Heat health alerts have come into force across most of England as the country braces for a second summer heatwave.An amber alert covers the East Midlands, south-east, south-west, east and London - meaning various health services and the whole population could be affected by the heat, according to the Met Office.In Yorkshire and the Humber, as well as the West Midlands, less serious yellow alerts apply, meaning that the elderly and vulnerable could be affected.Temperatures are forecast to rise into the 30s over the weekend, coniciding with Glastonbury Festival, before reaching a new high for the year on Monday, when the Wimbledon tennis championship begins.
Monday could be the hottest day of the year so far, with a 20-30% chance of it reaching 34C or 35C in London and towards the Cambridgeshire area, according to BBC Weather. The Met Office says London could reach 35-36C.That would make Monday the hottest ever start to Wimbledon too, exceeding the previous opening-day record of 29.3C in 2001 - although players and spectators can expect more comfortable temperatures in the 20s by the middle of next week.The hottest day during Wimbledon as a whole was on 1 July 2015 when 35.7C was recorded.
Temperatures will remain in the mid to high 20s for the 200,000 festival-goers descending on Glastonbury in Somerset this weekend, with a potential peak of 28C on Sunday.Conditions are expected to remain dry with sunny spells - free of the mud baths of years past - but warm nights could make things for uncomfortable for campers.Elsewhere in Britain, dry and sunny spells are forecast, with temperatures in the low to mid 20s this weekend. By Monday, Cardiff could match the 30C highs expected across large parts of England.
A heatwave, but for how long?
The sunny spell shows no sign of fading, with few places in Britain expected to see much, if any, rain by the middle of next week.Large parts of England will officially enter a heatwave - classed as three consecutive days of a temperature above a threshold, which varies by region - around the same time. These heatwaves are expected to last four to six days, finishing on Wednesday.Other European countries are seeing their own heatwaves too, with temperatures widely in the high 30s to low 40s. A scorching 44C is expected in Cordoba, southern Spain, on Sunday.
Parts of Suffolk are already in an official heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 27C at Santon Downham for three consecutive days. Many more locations will join them over the weekend.Parts of England could see a "tropical night" on Sunday and Monday - a term used to describe a night when temperatures do not fall below 20C.Monday's heat will not be far away from the June record which stands at 35.6C, recorded in Southampton during summer 1976.Heatwaves are becoming more common due to climate change, with a greater chance of extreme heat.Scientists at World Weather Attribution - which analyses the possible influence of climate change on extreme weather events - say June heatwaves with three consecutive days above 28C are about 10 times more likely to occur now when compared to the pre-industrial climate, before humans started burning fossil fuels.The heat health alert system has been used since 2023 by the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office to prepare health and social care professionals for the impacts of hot weather.There are four levels of warning - green, yellow, amber and red. Among examples given by UKHSA are difficulties managing medicines, the ability of the workforce to deliver services and internal temperatures in care settings exceeding the recommended thresholds.
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
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Daily Mail
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The UK is set to be even hotter tomorrow as temperatures could soar to a sweltering 35C with an amber health alert extended across England. Forecasters issued the alert which will cover London, the East Midlands, the South East, the South West and the East of England, and is set to remain in place until 6pm tomorrow. The Met Office say a rare amber alert is only deployed when they think there is a 'potential risk to life and property' and marks the second time it has been issued in two weeks. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also activated a five-day alert due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. Images from today showed packed out beaches and rammed swimming pools of people frolicking in the water, while tennis fans are braved the red-hot weather to face the scorching conditions on day one of Wimbledon. Temperatures in SW19 were today so hot that an elderly member of the crowd on Centre Court fainted during Carlos Alcaraz 's first-round tussle with Fabio Fognini. The Spaniard was leading 3-0 in the decider when he alerted the umpire to an incident in the stands before he brought the stricken spectator a cold bottle of water from the bucket behind his seat. Greg Dewhurst, a meteorologist at the Met Office, told MailOnline: The sunniest skies will be across southeast England tomorrow – most likely in the London area.' And a map issued by the forecasters shows that they expect temperatures could hit a sizzling 35C. The record temperature for England was recorded on July 19, 2022, when Coningsby, Lincolnshire, saw an astonishing 40.3C reached. It comes as Europe was blasted by record temperature highs with a deadly 'heat dome' scorching the continent. Spain recorded its hottest June day on record at the weekend, with 46C recorded in El Granado, in the Andalucían province of Huelva. The highest temperature previously recorded for June was 45.2C logged in Seville in 1965. Spain's state meteorological agency said the latest heatwave would likely persist. A new record high for June was also recorded in Mora in Portugal on Sunday, at 46.6C (116F), according to the national meteorological agency. Seven regions in central and southern Portugal, including Lisbon, were placed on red alert for the second day running on Monday, with fire warnings in many forest areas. Authorities advised people 'not to go out' during the hottest hours, reporting heat strokes and burns as the heatwave took hold. Across the UK, sunseekers were snapped descending on beaches to try and cool off from the soaring temperatures. Both Brighton and Bournemouth beaches experienced congestion levels that are significantly higher than normal. The Met Office confirmed that it is officially the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, with the temperature this morning hitting 29.7C, which surpasses the previous record of 29.3C set on June 25 2001. Thousands of spectators pitched tents outside the All England Club last night in a bid to secure tickets, but the tropical temperatures proved too much for some who were forced to abandon their spot in the queue 'until it was cooler'. A weather map shows that London and the southeast will experience the highest figures, with 31C expected in the Midlands and 28C in the northwest and west of the country. The toasty temperatures will threaten the UK's June record of 35.6C - set in the famously hot summer of 1976. Some fans have already been forced to abandon the queue the for Centre Court because of the heat, saying they will come back when it is cooler Emma Raducanu today led the biggest contingent of British tennis stars to storm Wimbledon in over 40 years. It is a bumper year for Britons with an army of 23 players taking over SW19 – the most to get through since 1984. People sunbath as temperatures rise in Wimbledon Park Temperatures have risen to 29.7C at Kew Gardens, so it is provisionally warmest start to Wimbledon on record 🎾 — Met Office (@metoffice) June 30, 2025 George Sandhu, Deputy Superintendent at Well Pharmacy, is urging elderly and vulnerable Brits to consider staying in the shade or indoors during the hottest hours of the day. He said: 'While many people will be out enjoying the warm weather, elderly and vulnerable Brits who are at greater risk because they can have less control over their exposure to the sun. 'Overexposure to the sun can lead to people becoming seriously unwell through overheating, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.' One group of six best friends from the US are set for another two or three hours in the queue after joining at 7am and flying eight and a half hours to the UK. Lydia told MailOnline: 'We've flew eight and a half hours from Florida yesterday, some of us are from New Jersey and Texas as well. We can't wait for the games and we are rooting for Coco Gauff.' Jennie added: 'We're want to attended for the next three days so we will be queuing up every day. 'We're from Florida, so the heat is fine for us, but we were not expecting this in England. We have our umbrellas for shade and plenty booze and card games. We've already had three bottles of bubbly so far this morning!' Elsewhere in the UK, footage from Highland and Moray, in the Scottish Highlands, showed wildfires and smoke obscuring the landscape as fire crews battle blaze that has been burning since Saturday morning. The blazes, which have been whipped up by strong winds and dry weather, have stretched several miles in places - and even sparked warnings for communities as far away as Forres and Elgin to keep windows shut. A gamekeeper tacking a wildfire. Gamekeepers who have helped battling wildfires have warned such blazes are 'becoming a danger to human life' A gamekeeper using a leafblower at a wildfire in Scotland Footage from Highland and Moray, in the Scottish Highlands, shows wildfires and smoke obscuring the landscape Video and pictures show wildfires that have been blazing across Scotland for three days amid a heatwave One group of six best friends from the US are set for another two or three hours in the queue after joining at 7am and flying eight and a half hours to the UK Pictured: Laurie, Jennie, Amy, Sandra, Lydia and Lindy A few people try and find shelter from the heat under umbrellas People queue at the entrance on the first day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships Spectators arrive to form a long queue Wimbledon Tennis Championships Maria and her family in the overnight queue on day one of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships People queue at the entrance on the first day of the Wimbledon A spectator in the overnight on day one of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London A view of the Wimbledon Queue of tents Much of England will enter a fourth day of a heatwave, forecast to be hotter than holiday spots in Barbados, Jamaica and Mexico People sleeping in the queue at Wimbledon ahead of day 1 The clean up operation begins at the end of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm Litter pickers collect rubbish from the field of the Pyramid Stage at the end of the Glastonbury Glastonbury clean up this morning as the sun starts to creep through The catering area covered in litter ahead of the clean up operation at the end of the Glastonbury Festival A second amber heat health alert in two weeks came into force on Friday People enter the queue at Wimbledon park A man brushes his teeth this morning ahead of the queue opening A man sleeps in Wimbledon park to try and get tickets into the grounds today Tennis fans were given a shock this morning after being told to stay away from Wimbledon as it is already 'at capacity'. Earl's Court tube station, a popular changeover point en route to Wimbledon, was packed with tennis fans who had flown in from all over the world. But an announcement over the PA system quickly put a dampener on the excitement after it was revealed the grounds were already 'at capacity' before 9am. Those who had opted for a slightly later lie-in faced disappointment then when they were told that non-ticket holders risk not getting in, or at best 'several hours' waiting in the queue with temperatures soaring for the rest of the day. An update from Wimbledon's official website on Monday read: 'Please be aware that the Queue for Day 1 - Monday 30th June - is very busy and to avoid disappointment we strongly advise you not to travel to the Grounds today.' On Sunday, firefighters mobilised in several European nations to tackle blazes as southern Europeans sought shelter from punishing temperatures of a heatwave that is set to intensify in the coming days. Fires broke out in France and Turkey Sunday, with other countries already on alert. Authorities from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable from the summer's first major heatwave. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Turkey, forest fires broke out Sunday afternoon in the western Izmir province, fed by strong winds, local media reported. In France, meanwhile, wildfires broke out in the Corbieres area of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures topped 40C, forcing the evacuation of a campsite and abbey as a precaution. The country's weather service Meteo France put a record 84 out of its 101 regional departments on an orange heatwave alert - the second-highest - for Monday. Spain's weather service AEMET said temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia, in the south and southwest, had reached up to 44C Sunday and issued a special warning amid the heatwave. Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, are under a red warning until Monday night, said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). A woman cools off her dogs in front of a large fan at a London Underground station A woman cools off in front of a large fan at a London Underground station People enjoy the hot weather as they swim at Peterborough Lido in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire A heat bomb has hit Europe with Spain's national weather agency issuing a special warning Temperatures are set to be higher than 34C tomorrow. This has only occurred three times in June since 1960 Two-thirds of Portugal was also on high alert Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires - as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes Saturday. In Italy, 21 cities were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence and Rome. 'We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted,' said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a 'muggy, miserable' Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported an uptick in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. 'We've seen around a 10 percent increase, mainly in cities that not only have very high temperatures but also a higher humidity rate. It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue,' he said. In Venice, authorities offered free guided tours for people over 75s in air-conditioned museums and public buildings. Bologna has set up seven 'climate shelters' with air conditioning and drinking water, Florence has called on doctors to flag up the lonely and vulnerable, Ancona is delivering dehumidifiers to the needy, and Rome has offered free access to city swimming pools for those over 70. In Portugal, several areas in the southern half of the country, including the capital Lisbon, are under a red warning for heat until Monday night, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere. Bathers spend time in the sun on the beach in Scheveningen, The Hague A beach in the Netherlands where sunseekers are trying to escape the soaring temperatures One man sits under an umbrella to protect himself from the sun in the Hague, the Netherlands A woman uses a hand fan to cool off during the first summer heatwave in Seville, Spain Women cool off in a public fountain during the first summer heatwave in Seville, Spain Read More BREAKING NEWS Deadly 'heat dome' to sizzle Britain: 47C weather phenomenon hitting Europe will also bake the UK In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely impacting biodiversity. 'With this stifling heat, the temperature can exceed 40 degrees in some nests,' said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds. 'We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated,' he said. It is also attracting invasive species, which are thriving in the more tropical climes. The alert, which covered London, the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, will last until 6pm on Tuesday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also issued a yellow alert for Yorkshire and Humber and the West Midlands for the same time period, with the agency warning of significant impacts across health and social care services. An amber alert was previously issued for all regions in England on June 19, the first time it had been used since September 2023. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. The intense heat is set to continue across Europe tomorrow with temperatures reaching 37C in France Read More Europeans warned to stay indoors as continent goes on high alert for 47C heat and forest fires London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner Thomas Goodall said: 'London is already facing its second heatwave of the year and we know that people will be looking forward to getting outside to enjoy the wonderful weather. 'But the high temperatures and low rainfall in recent months means the current risk of wildfires is severe. 'So far this year, firefighters have responded to around 14 wildfires in the capital. 'There have also been countless call outs to smaller fires involving grass, trees and in other outdoor spaces, as well as in people's gardens. 'During this latest heatwave, it is important everyone acts responsibly to prevent fires from occurring. 'As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly. 'In London, this is can be dangerous because so many of our green spaces lie close to homes and other properties.' There will be a 'marked difference' in north-western parts of the UK however, with cloud and heavy rain in parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, where temperatures will stay in the mid to high teens, Mr Lenhert said. The hottest ever July 1 on record was in 2015, when the temperature hit 36.7C.
