Amber heat-health alert issued for Sussex as temperatures rise

A heat-health alert covering Sussex and the wider South East has been upgraded from yellow to amber as forecasters warn of rising temperatures this week.

The UK Health Security Agency issued the amber alert on Monday, with the warning due to come into force at 9am on Tuesday, August 11, and remain in place until 9pm on Friday, August 14. The hot weather is expected to peak in the middle of the week, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures of 30C on Wednesday and 31C on Thursday.

UKHSA said significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including increased demand on healthcare and a rise in heat-related illness, with older people and those with underlying health conditions at greater risk. The South East was previously placed under amber heat-health alerts during hot spells in June and July, while a red alert was issued for the region on June 24 and 25.