The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat-health alerts for five regions of England – the West Midlands, East Midlands, south-east, London and the east of England – running from 9am on Tuesday until 6pm on Wednesday, as forecasters warn temperatures could climb to 36C (97F) or higher this week. Yellow alerts, denoting a lower level of risk, remain in place for the north-east, north-west, south-west and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Amber alerts indicate a heightened chance of health impacts among people aged 65 and over and those with existing medical conditions, though younger people may also be affected. The UKHSA says the strain from this level of alert is likely to be felt across the health service as a whole, one tier below the most serious red warning.
What did health officials say about the risk?
Dr Paul Coleman, a consultant in public health at the UKHSA, said temperatures are forecast to climb above 30C across central and southern England in the coming days, with generally hot conditions expected nationwide.
Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30°C across central and southern parts of the country over the next few days, and generally hot weather is expected across most regions of England.
These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population – particularly in those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with serious health conditions – so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.
Since the source article was first published, the UKHSA has updated its alert map so that eight regions of England are now covered, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Amber alerts now apply to the East Midlands, the east of England, the south-east and London, while yellow alerts cover the north-west, Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the south-west. Separately, the Met Office issued an amber extreme heat warning for much of southern England and south-eastern Wales, cautioning that the peak of the heat was expected on Monday and Tuesday and that it could affect both people and infrastructure, according to the Met Office. The Met Office added that temperatures were likely to reach 34C, with a chance of that figure being exceeded in some areas, and flagged water safety as a particular concern during the hot spell.
This is not the first time such alerts have been issued this summer. Amber warnings were previously put in place in early July when the UK faced one of its longest heatwaves since 1976, with temperatures reaching 36C, and again later that month as a brief but intense heatwave peaked at 35C. Alerts also followed at the start of August as temperatures approached 34C across much of England, underlining how frequently the health service has had to respond to extreme heat this summer.
What is happening in the New Forest?
Firefighters are continuing efforts to extinguish a blaze on internationally protected heathland in the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, southern England, which is believed to have started after a vehicle caught fire on the nearby A31 on Sunday. A spokesperson for the New Forest National Park Authority described the ecological significance of the land affected.
It’s rare heathland which globally is more rare than rainforest with lots of rare species.
We have the highest concentration of lowland heathland in western Europe and it’s internationally protected. It is home to all six UK native reptiles, Dartford warblers, nightjars, insects – it’s devastating.
The spokesperson said it remained too early to assess the full extent of the damage, as the incident was still ongoing at the time of writing. The New Forest fire is one of several wildfires to have broken out across the UK in recent weeks amid sustained hot, dry conditions, with other major blazes reported at Holme Fen, a peatland nature reserve near Peterborough; Dunwich Heath in Suffolk; Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight; Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys in south Wales; and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.
How is a drought defined, and which areas are affected?
There is no single agreed definition of drought, though it is commonly described as a prolonged period of unusually low rainfall that leads to a shortage of water. The Environment Agency identifies three main types, which can occur separately or in combination: agricultural drought, where insufficient rainfall and soil moisture harm crop production and farming; environmental drought, where a lack of rainfall damages the natural environment and ecology; and water supply drought, where reduced rainfall raises concerns among water companies about maintaining supplies to customers.
The whole of Wales and roughly half of England have already been formally declared to be in drought. The affected areas of England include Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and the Wessex region, which covers Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire. More than 25 million people are currently subject to restrictions on water use, according to the Environment Agency, including all customers of South East Water and Thames Water.
How does this summer compare with previous hot spells?
Sunday marked the 34th day this year on which temperatures exceeded 30C somewhere in the UK, matching a record previously set in 1995, and forecasters expect that record to be broken again this week. The summer of 2026 has already produced two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June, which have been linked to more than 2,800 excess deaths.
Two additional heatwaves in July, combined with the driest July recorded in England and Wales since records began in 1836, have contributed to the drought conditions and the spate of wildfires. According to the EU’s Earth observation programme, Copernicus, average temperatures across western Europe for June and July reached 21.61C, surpassing the previous record set in 2022. Globally, 2026 currently ranks just behind 2024 and 2025 as the hottest year on record.
Will more areas be declared in drought?
The National Drought Group is expected to meet to consider declaring further parts of England to be officially in drought, as the country heads into what could become its fifth heatwave of the year. The group brings together the Met Office, government representatives, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union, the Canal & River Trust, and anglers and conservation experts to review the impact of drought conditions and plan mitigation measures as wildfire risk rises, river levels fall and food security comes under strain.
The prolonged lack of rainfall has already led to millions of people being placed under temporary hosepipe bans, as water supplies have been significantly depleted, particularly across southern and south-eastern England. Officials have warned that continuing heat and drought conditions are placing considerable pressure on vulnerable people, critical infrastructure and wildlife in the areas affected. The Met Office has said temperatures could reach 36C or higher this week, with a slightly cooler Monday expected before conditions heat up again from Tuesday.
What happens next?
The Met Office’s amber extreme heat warning was set to remain in force until 23:59 on Tuesday, according to a national broadcaster's weather report. The UKHSA’s amber and yellow heat-health alerts were due to run until Wednesday morning, according to a broadcaster's social media update. Officials are expected to continue monitoring the situation closely, with further updates likely depending on how temperatures and drought conditions develop through the week.
Key Facts
- Amber heat-health alerts cover the West Midlands, East Midlands, south-east, London and the east of England from 9am Tuesday to 6pm Wednesday.
- Temperatures could reach 36C this week; the Met Office's amber extreme heat warning cited a possible peak of 34C or higher.
- All of Wales and roughly half of England are already in drought, with more than 25 million people facing water use restrictions.
- Sunday equalled the 1995 record for days over 30C in the UK this year, with 34 such days recorded so far.
- The UKHSA has updated its alerts to now cover eight regions of England with amber or yellow status.
