Heat alert extended in England

A yellow heat health alert is extended across seven English regions as a thunderstorm warning covers Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Yellow heat health alert extended for parts of England

England has extended a yellow heat health alert to seven regions as officials warn the danger remains high into mid August. The affected areas are Yorkshire and Humber, the East and West Midlands, London, the South East, the South West, and the East of England. The alert was downgraded from amber, while a separate yellow thunderstorm warning covers large parts of Scotland until midnight on Wednesday and will extend to Northern Ireland until 22:00 the following day. The Met Office warns heavy downpours could cause local disruption, including road spray and the risk of flash floods. Temperatures this week have reached the high 30s in several spots.

Recent readings show top temperatures this year of 33.4C in multiple places. While Scotland and Northern Ireland did not meet the three day rule for a heatwave, temperatures rose above average in many areas. Health and climate experts say heat events are becoming more frequent and intense as global warming advances. A World Health Organization advisory group has described heat as a health emergency, citing rising heat related deaths across Europe over the past two decades. Forecasters expect cooler weather to ease the heat on Thursday, but temperatures are set to rise again on Friday and remain warm through the weekend.

The extension shows that heat warnings have become a regular feature of summer in parts of England. The downgrade from amber may reduce alarm, but risk to vulnerable groups remains real and steady. The presence of a concurrent thunderstorm risk in Scotland and Northern Ireland highlights how air masses move across borders and add pressure for emergency services. The WHO framing as a health emergency adds moral pressure to act quickly on public health measures such as cooling centers and hydration guidance, and to target messages for those most at risk. As climate change pushes heat exposure higher, policy must shift from reactive warnings to proactive protection, including urban planning and infrastructure resilience.

Highlights

The heat story continues as climate risk becomes a daily reality.