UK Heatwave Returns: Health Alerts Issued as Temperatures Climb
The UK Health Security Agency has issued a new yellow heat health alert for large portions of England, spanning from midday on Saturday, July 4, until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. Officials warn that the expected weekend heatwave could cause disruptions to health and social care services. The alert covers the East Midlands, London, the South East, the South West, and the east of England. According to the Met Office, temperatures are forecast to climb over the weekend, making a return to official heatwave conditions increasingly likely across these regions.
Forecasts for the Weekend
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tony Wisson stated that the weekend forecast suggests temperatures could approach the high 20Cs across parts of England, potentially reaching 30C in parts of the southeast. Meanwhile, Wales is expected to see values in the mid to high 20Cs. While the current weather pattern is shifting toward higher temperatures, Wisson noted that conditions differ slightly from the previous week. “Although a return to heatwave conditions is looking increasingly likely for some areas, the likelihood of such extreme high temperatures or high levels of humidity as last week is currently low,” Wisson said. This change follows a recent period where an east to north-easterly wind had pushed the highest temperatures further west. As that wind eases, the heat is expected to spread more widely.
Context of a Historically Hot Year
The upcoming warmth arrives following a historically hot month. England recorded its warmest June since records began in 1884, and provisional data from the Met Office indicates the entire United Kingdom experienced its second-warmest June overall. This period was marked by “exceptionally warm overnight temperatures” and an intense, record-breaking heatwave at the end of the month. On Friday, June 26, a provisional all-time June temperature record of 37.7C was established in Lingwood, Norfolk, surpassing the previous 1976 record of 35.6C set in Southampton. Met Office Scientist Emily Carlisle noted that June’s high temperatures are part of a broader pattern of warmth throughout 2026. The UK has recorded above-average temperatures during every month of the year except January.
Climate Change and Temperature Extremes
The increasing frequency of high temperature extremes in the UK is being linked to human-induced climate change. Greg Wolverson, Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, described the June heat as “unprecedented” and noted that it provides further evidence of the changing climate. The preceding extreme heat was attributed to a “heat dome” moving across western Europe, which the World Health Organization linked to over 1,300 deaths across the continent. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group stated that climate change was “unequivocally” responsible for the intensity of that heatwave, adding that experiencing such extreme temperatures during June would have been “virtually impossible” 50 years ago.
Previous Heatwave Activity
Earlier in the month, the UK experienced a significant heatwave that peaked on Thursday, July 9, and Friday, July 10, with temperatures reaching 35C. Prior to that peak, the UK recorded 10 consecutive days of temperatures hitting 30C or more in some areas. Locations including Heathrow, Kew Gardens, Richmond upon Thames, and Teddington exceeded the 30C threshold during that period. As the current heatwave develops, the Met Office indicates that the heatwave threshold is likely to be met again in northern England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
Find more reporting in our Health section.
Worth a look