The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) updated its Adverse Weather Alerting service for England, which it runs in partnership with the Met Office, on 1 June 20231. The service, which covers heat and cold, is now a colour coded, impact-based system and will no longer use numbered levels such as Level 2 or Level 3; alerts will instead be referred to by colour, for example yellow, amber or red1.
The Met Office said the service remains mainly aimed at health professionals and those with long-term health conditions such as heart conditions1. Heat Health Alerts run from 1 June to 30 September, and during that core season the two organisations jointly monitor forecasts and carry out a combined risk assessment to decide the expected impacts, the likelihood of them occurring and the appropriate alert1. Alerts are sent directly to social and healthcare services in England and organisations such as Age UK, and appear on a new dedicated website1. The site shows the current alert status for all regions of England and, when an alert is issued, the headline weather conditions expected, an outline of likely impacts, a brief overview of the regional impact assessment, and links to further information and guidance1.
The four levels are set out as follows1:
| Level | UKHSA description |
|---|---|
| Green (preparedness) | No alert issued; conditions likely to have minimal impact on health; business as usual and summer/winter planning and preparedness activities |
| Yellow (response) | May be issued during periods of heat or cold unlikely to impact most people but which could impact those who are particularly vulnerable |
| Amber (enhanced response) | Impacts likely to be felt across the whole health service, with some health impacts possible across the wider population, not just the most vulnerable; non-health sectors may start to observe impacts and a more significant coordinated response may be required |
| Red (emergency response) | Significant risk to life for even the healthy population; severe impacts expected across all sectors with a coordinated response essential |
UKHSA's service issues yellow to red alerts, while the Met Office National Severe Weather Warning Service continues to issue amber and red alerts for extreme heat; the Met Office said this is because the health sector, the primary target of the UKHSA alerts, is likely to observe impacts before other sectors1. The two services are described as complementary and running alongside each other1. UKHSA and the Met Office have worked together since the summer of 20211.
"Our heat-health alerting system plays a vital role in notifying professionals and the public of forecasted high temperatures that can affect the health of those most at risk, particularly individuals over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions."
Dr Sousa said last year saw record high temperatures across England and that evidence shows heatwaves are likely to occur more often, be more intense and last longer in the years and decades ahead1. Will Lang, Head of Situational Awareness at the Met Office, said the effects of human-induced climate change are already being felt in the UK's summer, with an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of extreme heat events over recent decades1.
Why it matters for households
The change affects households in England, since the service is England only1. Alerts are aimed mainly at health professionals and people with long-term health conditions such as heart conditions, and the Met Office said they give advance warning of adverse weather that could significantly affect health and well-being, enabling health care professionals to prepare and the public to take extra precautions to keep safe and well1. From 1 June 2023, households will see colours rather than numbers, and the dedicated website carries the current status for every region of England together with the expected conditions and likely impacts1. The UKHSA alerts sit alongside, and do not replace, the Met Office's UK-wide National Severe Weather Warnings1. Further detail on the levels is available in the guide to yellow, amber and red cold-health alerts, and background on the agency is in the guide to the UK Health Security Agency. For official warnings from other sources, see where to get official warnings and news in an emergency.
What happens next
The Heat Health Alert season runs to 30 September, with joint monitoring and combined risk assessments by UKHSA and the Met Office throughout1. A full user guide to the weather health alerting system has been published1.
Sources (1)
- Adverse Weather-Health Alerting system updated - Met Office, metoffice.gov.uk
UK Health Security Agency
Official Warnings and News
Cold-Health Alerts Explained
