A rare heat-health alert has been issued across several parts of the UK with a heatwavesparking temperatures that would soar as high as 32C this weekend.
The UK Health Security Agency has warned that a rise in deaths among vulnerable groups is “likely”. The rare amber heat alert will stay in effect for four days, starting at 12pm today, June 19, and lasting until 9am on Monday, June 23. It covers a wide stretch of England, including the North East, North West, Yorkshire and The Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, and South West. The UKHSA had also issued yellow heat-health alerts from 12pm on June 18 that run until 6pm on June 22.
Under the agency’s Weather-Health Alerting System, a yellow alert indicates that while most people are unlikely to be affected, vulnerable individuals may experience health impacts. This level of alert is less severe than amber or red.
The alerting system is designed to issue early warnings when extreme temperatures – hot or cold – pose a risk to public health and wellbeing. It operates year-round, covering both heat-health alerts in summer and cold-health alerts in winter.
Delivered in collaboration with the Met Office, the system aims to notify the health and social care sectors, emergency responders, community organisations, and government bodies when weather conditions are likely to affect public health.
Yorkshire and The Humber – Risk score 7
West Midlands – Risk score 10
East Midlands – Risk score 10
South West – Risk score 10
South East – Risk score 10
London – Risk score 10
East of England – Risk score 10
