Amber heat health alerts for almost all of England as next heatwave begins

Amber heat health alerts for almost all of England as next heatwave begins The blustery conditions are set to intensify and become more widespread on Wednesday. Across a region stretching from South Yorkshire to eastern Wales, Somerset and eastern England, temperatures are expected to exceed 30 °C. Some of the warmth will drift farther north into northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where readings will reach the low to mid‑20 °C range. The highest temperatures will be felt over the Midlands and south‑east England, with values between 31 °C and 33 °C. By Thursday and Friday, peak heat is likely across parts of the Midlands, eastern and south‑east England, where the mercury could climb to 35 °C or 36 °C. As heat builds through the week, overnight temperatures will remain relatively high, producing uncomfortable nights for sleep. Minimum temperatures are not expected to fall below 16 °C to 18 °C across England and Wales. There is also a prospect of a “tropical night” – defined as nighttime temperatures staying above 20 °C – in south‑east England. Although the heat is not anticipated to be as severe or as humid as the June and July heatwaves, the BBC reports that the Met Office may be considering issuing extreme heat warnings. Such warnings would indicate that, alongside health impacts, there could be concerns for infrastructure including transport networks and power supplies. The highest temperatures recorded in June and July were 38 °C and 35.5 °C respectively. For the first time in recorded history, a temperature above 35 °C is expected to have been recorded in the UK for four consecutive months, underscoring that this year has been unprecedented.