UK issues amber extreme-heat warning as temperatures could hit 38°C

A rare amber extreme-heat warning is set to take effect across a large swathe of the United Kingdom on Thursday, with temperatures projected to reach up to 38 °C (100 °F). The alert, active from 09:00 to 23:59 BST, spans Eastern England, London, the south-east, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and Humber, and coincides with amber health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency for all of England until 21:00 BST on Friday.

Officials warn that the soaring heat could strain health and social-care services, particularly among people aged 65 and over or those with medical conditions, and may cause power cuts, rail and air travel disruptions, dehydration and heat-exhaustion cases. Additional concerns include tropical nights, where temperatures stay above 20 °C, adding further stress on the body. While the heatwave is expected to last only two or three days, it could break several temperature records, potentially making 2026 the first year with four days of 36 °C or higher and matching a previous 38 °C reading recorded in Norfolk earlier this summer.