Amber Heat Alert Covers Much of England This Weekend
An amber heat-health alert came into force across much of southern and central England on Friday morning and will run until Sunday, as a fresh heatwave builds. Issued by the UK Health Security Agency with the Met Office, the alert covers six regions and warns of a likely rise in deaths among the elderly and vulnerable. It is the same warm spell credited with lifting June’s retail sales.
The alert spans the East Midlands, the East of England, London, the South East, the South West and the West Midlands from 9am on Friday until 9am on Sunday. Health officials urged people to stay hydrated, keep homes cool and check on elderly neighbours, warning that heat can be dangerous even for the healthy. The hot, dry conditions have deepened drought concerns, with hosepipe bans now covering more than 23 million people. Watch whether the alert is upgraded and how the heat strains hospitals already braced for strike action.