UK weather: Amber heat health alerts issued across England as fifth summer heatwave on way

Heat health alerts have been issued across the country as highs of 36C are forecast this week - with many areas set for a fifth summer heatwave.

Amber heat health alerts are in place for every part of England, except the North East which has a yellow alert, from 9am on Tuesday until 9am on Friday.

The amber alerts - issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) - say "significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures".

They warn this could include "a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 or over," and "likely increased demand on all health and social care services".

It comes after the UK equalled the record number of days with temperatures above 30C across the country this year.

Temperatures of at least 30.6C were recorded on Sunday, bringing the total number of 30C-plus days in 2026 to 34 - matching the UK record set in 1995.

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While Monday starts the week comparatively cooler, temperatures will rise again by Tuesday before peaking midweek.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said that "we'll probably see highs reaching the mid-30s quite widely on Wednesday, and indeed on Thursday too" in England and Wales.

He added: "Thursday, at this stage, looks the most likely hottest day of the week. There's a small chance it could get even higher than [36C]."

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Mr Morgan also said that the Met Office could issue an amber warning for extreme heat this week.

It came amid predictions of food shortages and price rises, as UK farmers warn this year's dry weather has been a "disaster" for crops.

Ahead of this week's heatwave, the Met Office has warned of the impact on infrastructure, such as railway lines and power networks.

On Sunday, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident while 14 crews tackled two separate fires near Mansfield.

In Hampshire, 26 fire engines attended a blaze near the A31 after a vehicle fire spread to nearby heathland, the fire service said.

While half of England and all of Wales struggle under drought conditions, more than half a month's rainfall fell in north west Scotland in the last 48 hours, the Met Office said.

"They've seen over 100mm of rain on Friday and Saturday, so the rain isn't far away and there is a little bit of rain in northern England and Northern Ireland today too," Mr Morgan said.

This summer's extreme weather has included two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that led to more than 2,700 excess deaths.

The highest temperature of the year was 38C, recorded at Lingwood in Norfolk on 28 June.

Two more heatwaves last month, the driest July in England and Wales since records began, have fuelled drought and wildfires.

Nineteen counties across England recorded 1mm or less rainfall across the month, with half of England and all of Wales plunged into drought.

In recent weeks, large blazes broke out at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.

The dry conditions come after last year's drought summer, with the UK facing more extreme weather fuelled by human-caused climate change, mostly as a result of burning fossil fuels.

(c) Sky News 2026: UK weather: Amber heat health alerts issued across England as fifth summer heatwave on way