Intense heat health caution extended throughout significant regions of the UK due to continuing heatwave
Heatwave and Thunderstorm Alerts Continue Across England, Scotland Faces Flooding Risks
As the heatwave persists across England, various regions are under heat health alerts, with some extended into next week. Meanwhile, Scotland is facing the threat of heavy rain and flooding.
Heat Health Alerts Across England
The current heat health alert status in England, as of mid-late August 2025, is primarily at the yellow level across much of the country. The affected regions include Yorkshire and The Humber, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, the East of England, London, the South East, and South West.
Yorkshire and Humber, the East and West Midlands, London, the South East, and South West have extended yellow alerts, indicating a significant potential impact on health and social care services due to high temperatures, especially among older people and those with pre-existing conditions.
East of England, which was previously under an amber alert with temperatures reaching up to 34ºC, is now under a yellow alert that has been extended.
North West and North East regions, which were earlier under yellow alerts, have seen some regions move away from the heat focus.
Scotland's Flooding Risks
Scotland, on the other hand, is not under any heat alert but is facing flood and thunderstorm alerts. The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for most of Scotland from 2pm until midnight. The warning includes the potential for up to 30mm of rain in less than an hour, 50mm locally, hail, and gusty winds.
Heatwave and Water Supplies
The latest heatwave is putting more pressure on water supplies. A hosepipe ban remains in place in Yorkshire, while Thames Water, South East Water, and Southern Water have bans in certain postcodes. The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, water firms, and others, met over what it called a "nationally significant incident" in England.
Temperature Forecast
The temperatures are predicted to cool slightly as the week progresses, but will still be very warm. On Thursday, temperatures will peak around 29C to 30C in East and South East England. Marco Petagna, a meteorologist at the Met Office, predicts mostly fine weather on Friday with very hot sunshine in the South and South East, where temperatures could reach 31C. Scotland will see highs in the low 20s on Friday.
Recent Events
Heavy rain and thunder hit London and Kent on Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday's temperatures in Benson, Oxfordshire and Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire reached 33.4C. The amber alerts for southern and central England were related to the fourth heatwave of 2025, with temperatures reaching up to 34ºC in some parts, including Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and outskirts of London in mid-August. These conditions led to warnings about a rise in deaths among vulnerable populations.
Drought Status
Five areas remain in drought and six more are in prolonged dry weather status. The current heatwave is the driest six months to July since 1976.
The heat health alerts warn of significant impacts on health and social care services due to high temperatures. The alerts are in effect from 6pm on Wednesday to 6pm next Monday, with the South East continuing to experience thick clouds and a risk of heavy thundery showers overnight. The alerts were initially set to end at 6pm on Wednesday, but have now been extended.
Scientists are closely monitoring climate change and its effects on weather patterns, as the current heatwave in England might affect water supplies, with a hosepipe ban still in effect in Yorkshire and certain postcodes in other regions.
Despite the heatwave, Scotland faces different weather concerns, with the Met Office issuing a yellow thunderstorm warning for most of Scotland, forecasting up to 30mm of rain in an hour and potential gusty winds.
In the realm of environmental science, the ongoing heatwave and the potential for severe thunderstorms underscore the importance of accurate weather forecasting to ensure public safety and the mitigation of potential environmental impacts.
