An amber heat health alert has been issued across England, as the UK recorded its hottest day of the year so far.
According to the Met Office’s latest forecasts, much of the south of England had been due to see temperatures of between 31C (87.8F) and 32C by Thursday afternoon, with temperatures above 20C across almost all of the UK.
Just before 4pm, temperatures in Heathrow reached 31.4C (88.52F) – making Thursday the hottest day of the year so far and beating the 29.4C (85F) recorded last Friday in Suffolk.
That record is likely to be broken in the next few days, with temperatures forecast to hit highs of 33C (91F) by this weekend.
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The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest heat health warnings for England include all regions, and are in effect from midday on Thursday to 9am on Monday.
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The amber alert indicates that “significant impacts are likely” across health and social care services, and warns there could be “a rise in deaths” among people with pre-existing health conditions and those aged over 65.
Read more: What is a heat health alert and when is one issued?
A heatwave is officially declared when temperatures exceed a certain level for three days in a row. Thresholds vary from 25C to 28C (77F to 82F) across the UK.
According to the Met Office, it will get progressively warmer as the week progresses – with the heat peaking on Sunday.
Deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said thundery showers may be possible heading into Saturday morning, with “tropical nights” a possibility as parts of the UK approach heatwave territory.
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Charities have also issued warnings about the potential risks of hotter weather, and the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, has urged people to check in on vulnerable neighbours.
It comes after the Met Office said this week that there is a 50:50 chance of temperatures reaching up to 40C or more again in the next 12 years.
Temperatures first hit 40C in the UK during a record-breaking heatwave in 2022, peaking at 40.3C in Coningsby in Lincolnshire on 19 July. The previous top temperature was 38.7C in Cambridge, recorded in 2019.
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The extreme heat caused dozens of fires, which ripped through houses, schools, churches and farmland, with fire brigades in London, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire declaring major incidents at the time.
More than 3,000 heat-related deaths were recorded in England over summer 2022, including more than 1,000 excess deaths among older people around the four-day peak of the heatwave.
