Fifth UK heatwave looms as health alerts kick in across several regions
A cooler Sunday will not last long in Britain. Temperatures are forecast to climb again next week, and parts of England and Wales could slip
A cooler Sunday will not last long in Britain. Temperatures are forecast to climb again next week, and parts of England and Wales could slip into what would be the country’s fifth heatwave of the year.
The return of the heat comes as yellow heat health alerts have already been issued by the UK Health Security Agency for several regions, covering the period from 9:00 BST on 28 July until 9:00 BST on 31 July. In the hottest places, forecasters say the mercury could reach 35C.
Brief relief, then another surge
Much of the UK will get a short break after rain moved through the north and north-west over the weekend. Sunday is expected to be cooler nationwide, with temperatures dropping by a couple of degrees and easing beneath the heatwave threshold in a few places for the first time in weeks.
Usk in Monmouthshire and Exeter in Devon are among the places forecast to fall below heatwave levels after 21 consecutive days above that mark. In the south-east, temperatures are likely to stay in the mid-20s Celsius on Sunday, while further north many areas will sit in the mid-teens.
Then the pattern flips. High pressure is expected to build near southern Britain, setting the stage for hotter conditions to return quickly.
Health warnings and travel risk
The new alerts are meant to warn health and care services to prepare for the impact of hot weather on vulnerable people. For commuters and travellers, the bigger concern is that severe heat can strain transport networks and disrupt journeys when roads and rail systems start to suffer under the pressure.
That risk has already been flagged in Britain this summer. Rail firms have warned of possible widespread cancellations when temperatures climb, with one report noting commuters were told to avoid trains as a rare red weather alert was issued and heat approached 40C.
Britain’s repeated bouts of extreme heat have become more familiar in recent years, with forecasters and health agencies treating each new spike as a fresh test for hospitals, care homes and transport operators. For now, the immediate focus is next week’s return of the heat — and whether the forecast holds for another official heatwave declaration.
