Heat health alerts are upgraded to Amber with temperatures set to rise above 30C for TEN days in a row as third heatwave of Britain's summer moves in

Published: 18:58, 6 July 2026 | Updated: 18:59, 6 July 2026 Temperatures in the UK could climb above 30C for ten days in a row after health alerts were upgraded to amber as Britain braces for its third summer heatwave. Heat is expected to intensify from the middle of the week - reaching 34C in parts of England. The UK Health Security Agency issued health alerts for the Midlands, eastern and southern parts of the country with 'significant impacts' feared across health and social care services. The alert is in place from 9pm on July 8 (Wednesday) up until 9pm on July 12 (Sunday). It comes as schools have cancelled sports days and allowed pupils to wear PE kits in lessons this week over safety fears. A rise in deaths is predicted amongst those aged 65 and over or with health conditions - though younger age groups are also at risk. Water-related incidents are also feared to rise, including risks from cold-water shock and drowning. It follows at least 11 people dying in water-related incidents during the June heatwave – on top of the 17 during the May heatwave. The UK Health Security Agency issued health alerts for the Midlands, eastern and southern parts of the country with 'significant impacts' feared across health and social care services Heat is expected to intensify from the middle of the week - reaching 34C in parts of England People are seen enjoying the beach in Folkestone, Kent today as parts of the UK brace for their third heatwave Meanwhile northern regions in the UK have been issued yellow heat-health alerts which warn of a 'risk to life'. Parts of south-east England met official heatwave conditions as of this afternoon, with additional regions likely to meet their local thresholds as the week goes on. A particular spike in heat is expected in London and south-east England where the temperature may rise to around 34C on Wednesday and Thursday. However, temperatures are not expected to be as extreme as in late June - when they peaked at a record-breaking 37.7C. Nighttime temperatures are also not expected to be as high as those experienced in June, though some urban areas will likely remain in the high teens. Forecasters say a heatwave is three days in a row with daily maximums meeting or exceeding a threshold, which varies around the UK but is 28C in London. One of Britain's fastest AI supercomputers remained offline over the weekend after it shut down during the June heatwave. Dawn, which is owned by the University of Cambridge and is used by cancer and climate researchers, went out of action on June 27. People relax in the shade in Parliament Square today. Forecasters say a heatwave is three days in a row with daily maximums meeting or exceeding a threshold, which varies around the UK but is 28C in London A man enjoys the sunshine near a wildflower border in Green Park today Cyclists sit in the warm sunshine on a parched Wimbledon Common in London yesterday Lennard Lee, director of the University of Oxford's UK Cancer Vaccine AI Scientist & Supercomputing project, said: 'Dawn is offline. This means that our jobs are paused. There is no data loss and we aren't expecting to repeat the work.' The university said the shutdown followed 'technical issues during the hot weather', but full cooling capacity had now been restored and it should be running again today. Last Friday, Southern Water confirmed a hosepipe ban, placing one million people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight under restrictions a second year in a row. The firm said the ban would come into force on July 10 but asked customers to 'put down their hosepipes now, to avoid putting the network under further pressure'. Also last Friday a previously-announced hosepipe ban by South East Water for 850,000 customers in Kent began, which bosses said followed record demand. South East Water has also asked its customers in parts of Hampshire and Sussex to reduce water use in the morning and evening to prevent low pressure at peak times. Anglian Water, which supplies much of eastern England, has asked its customers not to use hosepipes to conserve water but has stopped short of an official ban. The restrictions - which could be followed by more - come after the hottest spring and June for England and the UK's highest ever temperatures in May and June. The UK set a provisional all-time June high of 37.7C on June 26 in Norfolk. This highest May temperature on record was recorded on May 26, with 35.1C in London.