UK issues yellow heat alerts as new heatwave arrives

A new period of hot weather is building across the United Kingdom, with forecasters predicting a prolonged heatwave for southern and eastern England while northern and western regions face a mix of cloud and rain. The conditions, expected to peak later this week, follow a record-breaking heatwave in June but are not forecast to reach the same extreme intensity.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued yellow heat health alerts for the Midlands, East Anglia, and across southeast and southwest England, effective for a week. The alerts indicate an expected increase in healthcare service use by vulnerable populations and a greater risk to life from the heat, alongside potential for very warm indoor environments and a rise in water-related incidents.

Meteorologists state that high pressure extending from the Azores is blocking Atlantic weather systems, leading to a settled and very warm pattern for much of England and Wales. Temperatures are forecast to climb gradually, widely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius in southern and eastern England by the second half of the week, with some areas potentially reaching 33C or 34C. For parts of southern England, this would mark the third heatwave of...