Health officials have issued a yellow heat health alert for several regions of England, warning that high temperatures over the coming days could pose a greater risk to life for vulnerable individuals. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), covers the East Midlands, East of England, South East, and South West England, including London, from 12:00 pm on Saturday, July 4, until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 8.
Minor Impacts Expected Across Health and Social Care
The UKHSA stated that within the warning area, minor impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures. These include increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people and a greater risk to life for the same group. The agency also warned of a potential increase in water-related incidents, including risks from cold water shock and drowning.
Temperatures in London are forecast to reach 31°C by Monday, with a steady increase throughout the weekend. Overnight lows are expected to range between 15°C and 20°C.
Recent Heatwave and Record-Breaking June Temperatures
This new alert follows a sweltering heatwave last week, during which the Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat for parts of the country, and the UKHSA put red heat health alerts in place. The UK set a provisional June temperature record of 37.7°C on Friday, June 26, in Lingwood, Norfolk, according to the Met Office. This beats the previous June record for the UK of 35.6°C, dating back to 1976, by more than 2°C. Such records have usually been broken by only a fraction of a degree in the past.
Last month was England’s warmest June on record, while the UK as a whole and Wales recorded their second warmest June, the Met Office said. The records date back to 1884. In England, a provisional mean temperature of 17.1°C was recorded for the month, surpassing the previous record set in 2025 and nearly 3°C above the long-term average.
Exceptionally Warm Overnight Temperatures
The forecaster noted that ‘exceptionally warm overnight temperatures’ during the latest heatwave helped to ‘drive the highest average minimum temperatures on record for the UK, England and Wales’. For the UK, June 2026 provisionally ranks as the second-warmest June on record, behind only June 2023. Wales recorded its second warmest, while Scotland and Northern Ireland both saw their joint fourth warmest June since 1884.
