Britain is bracing for its fourth heatwave of the year, with amber heat health alerts upgraded across eastern England and warnings of a rise in deaths, particularly among the elderly and vulnerable.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the amber alerts for the East Midlands, East of England, London and the South East from 9am on Wednesday until 9am on Thursday. Yellow alerts cover the South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, while the North East, North West, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no alerts for now.
“Amber heat health alerts issued for eastern England as fourth heatwave looms, with warnings of deaths and tree failures.”
Temperatures are forecast to peak in the mid-30s Celsius on Wednesday, with the Met Office predicting 34–35C in parts of south-east England. “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the southeast,” said Gregory Wolverson, the Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster. “By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30s, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the southeast to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.”
The amber alert means “significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions”, the UKHSA warned. It also cautioned that indoor temperatures in care settings could exceed safe thresholds, that staffing and transport may be disrupted, and that demand for power could exceed capacity. There may also be an increase in water-related incidents, including cold water shock and drowning.
The heatwave comes after some of the driest regions missed their chance of rain over the weekend. Parts of Wales have officially entered drought status, while parts of southern, central and eastern England remain in “prolonged dry weather” – the final stage before drought is declared. The UK has received only 20% of its average July rainfall, and the Environment Agency has said demand for water has soared up to 30% on the hottest days.
The dry conditions have weakened trees, prompting a stark warning from staff at Normanby Hall Country Park in Lincolnshire. Visitors are being told not to sit under trees because of an increased risk of branches dropping suddenly. “They’re under a lot of stress at the moment,” said parks and gardens officer Liam Dent. “Due to a lack of water, the trees are basically going into survival mode. [They are] trying to protect the main trunk and [their] system. Any branches that are untoward or have cracks in them, they’re just shedding them.”
The park has asked visitors to “stay alert when walking beneath mature trees”, avoid sitting, picnicking or parking under large branches, and follow temporary safety signage. Routine inspections will be carried out, but the public is urged to remain vigilant.
As the heat builds, the National Drought Group – which heard last week that high temperatures continue to have a “severe impact” on the environment – will be watching closely. Ponds and wetlands have already dried out; some rivers have vanished entirely. With little meaningful rain in the forecast for the driest areas, the question is not whether this heatwave will deepen the crisis, but how much worse it will get.