Heat health alert issued by Met Office as UK temperatures forecast to reach low 30s in heatwave

Areas in the south and east of England will see high temperatures over the next week.

Tomorrow, temperatures in Portsmouth are forecast to be as high as 24C.

Other parts of the country today are predicted to reach high temperatures of 28C – in a run of warm days.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued a level 2 heat-health alert warning.

This will come into force from next Monday to next Friday.

It will cover the east of England, south-east and London.

The heat-health scale has four levels and is designed to help health workers manage periods of extreme temperature.

Level 2 is called alert and readiness, and it is triggered when there is a 60 per cent chance temperature thresholds will be reached in one or more regions on two consecutive days.

The night is also counted in between.

On its website, the Met Office said: ‘This is an important stage for social and healthcare services who will be working to ensure readiness and swift action to reduce harm from a potential heatwave.

‘Hot weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young or very old or those with chronic disease.

‘Advice on how to reduce the risk either for yourself or somebody you know can be obtained from the Heatwave Plan for England page, from your doctor or local chemist, or ring NHS 111.’

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A heatwave is declared when maximum temperatures exceed the threshold for at least three days running.

It is declared in Hampshire when temperatures reach or go over 27C for three days in a row.

The UK previously experienced a heatwave three weeks ago.

June 17 marked the hottest day of the year so far.