UK weather warning: Amber heat health alert issued across England with 'rise in deaths likely' as temperatures soar past 30C

Britons are warned that "a rise in deaths" is likely among those with pre-existing health conditions, as well as those aged over 65.

Across the south of England, temperatures are expected to soar to as high as 32C by Thursday afternoon, with temperatures above 20C across almost all of the UK.

The extraordinary heat would make today the hottest day of 2025 so far, beating the 29.4C heat recorded in Suffolk last Friday.

• Increased demand on all health and social care services
• Internal temperatures in care settings like hospitals and care homes potentially exceeding the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment
• High temperatures "affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services"
• Indoor environments overheating, increasing the risk to vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings
• Issues managing medicines
• Staffing issues due to external factors like transport
• Increased demand for power exceeding capacity

While the amber health alert is in place, the Met Office has not issued any specific weather warnings.

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Its forecast predicts that Thursday will "become very warm, dry and sunny for most", with "breezier, but still very warm" conditions in the south and southwest, and "very muggy" climes in the west.

By Friday, the Met Office says conditions will turn "very warm, dry and sunny once again".

Forecasters continue: "Isolated showers are possible across northern Scotland and southwest England, while isolated thunder possible in the southwest. Breezy along southern and eastern coasts."

This weekend's soaring temperatures are set to follow senior meteorologists' warnings that UK summer heat records could soon be broken.

Jim Dale, of British Weather Services, said: "Given the profile of temperatures already this year, and with the heat building over the continent and North Africa, which could come our way later, I think that the 40.3C record is certainly under threat this year.

"We are already seeing the possibility of the June temperature record falling this week, and this comes after the hottest spring on record, with ground temperatures already high."

The highest temperature ever recorded in June was 35.6C in Southampton in 1976, during one of the most extraordinary heatwaves of the 20th century.