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| How do heat and cold-health alerts work? | How do heat and cold-health alerts work? |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A yellow heat-health alert has been issued, with temperatures predicted to hit 32C (86F) on Tuesday. | A yellow heat-health alert has been issued, with temperatures predicted to hit 32C (86F) on Tuesday. |
| All areas of England, except the North East and North West, are covered by the warning, until Wednesday. | All areas of England, except the North East and North West, are covered by the warning, until Wednesday. |
| Health alert issued as temperatures may reach 32C | Health alert issued as temperatures may reach 32C |
| Health alert issued as temperatures may reach 32C | Health alert issued as temperatures may reach 32C |
| How does the weather health alert system work? | How does the weather health alert system work? |
| The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health. | The weather alert service warns the public when high or low temperatures could damage their health. |
| Run by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, the system, for England, was introduced in June 2023., external | Run by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, the system, for England, was introduced in June 2023., external |
| It includes both heat-health alerts and cold-health alerts., external | It includes both heat-health alerts and cold-health alerts., external |
| Heat-health alerts are typically issued between 1 June and 30 September, and cold-health alerts between 1 November and 30 March. | Heat-health alerts are typically issued between 1 June and 30 September, and cold-health alerts between 1 November and 30 March. |
| The system issues warnings to members of the public, and sends guidance directly to NHS England, the government and other healthcare professionals during periods of adverse weather. | The system issues warnings to members of the public, and sends guidance directly to NHS England, the government and other healthcare professionals during periods of adverse weather. |
| Alerts are categorised according to severity and include: | Alerts are categorised according to severity and include: |
| headline weather conditions expected in the coming days | headline weather conditions expected in the coming days |
| headline weather conditions expected in the coming days | headline weather conditions expected in the coming days |
| details of how weather conditions will affect each region | details of how weather conditions will affect each region |
| details of how weather conditions will affect each region | details of how weather conditions will affect each region |
| links to additional information, advice and guidance | links to additional information, advice and guidance |
| links to additional information, advice and guidance | links to additional information, advice and guidance |
| The system was designed to help reduce illness and deaths by improving communication between the public and relevant bodies during periods of extreme weather. | The system was designed to help reduce illness and deaths by improving communication between the public and relevant bodies during periods of extreme weather. |
| Hot weather and health guidance and advice, external | Hot weather and health guidance and advice, external |
| Hot weather and health guidance and advice, external | Hot weather and health guidance and advice, external |
| Cold weather and health guidance and advice, external | Cold weather and health guidance and advice, external |
| Cold weather and health guidance and advice, external | Cold weather and health guidance and advice, external |
| See current weather-health alerts, external | See current weather-health alerts, external |
| See current weather-health alerts, external | See current weather-health alerts, external |
| Sign up to receive alerts, external | Sign up to receive alerts, external |
| Sign up to receive alerts, external | Sign up to receive alerts, external |
| What does each level mean? | What does each level mean? |
| The level of alert is based on Met Office forecasts and data. | The level of alert is based on Met Office forecasts and data. |
| There are four levels ranging from green (least severe) to red (most severe): | There are four levels ranging from green (least severe) to red (most severe): |
| Green | Green |
| Green is the normal level, when advice is given on how people should prepare to respond if temperatures rise or fall. | Green is the normal level, when advice is given on how people should prepare to respond if temperatures rise or fall. |
| Yellow | Yellow |
| Yellow alerts are issued during periods of hot or cold weather that are only likely to affect those who are particularly vulnerable, for example the elderly, or those with existing health conditions. | Yellow alerts are issued during periods of hot or cold weather that are only likely to affect those who are particularly vulnerable, for example the elderly, or those with existing health conditions. |
| Amber | Amber |
| Amber alerts are issued in situations that could potentially put the whole population at risk. The NHS may see increased demand on GPs and ambulances, for example. | Amber alerts are issued in situations that could potentially put the whole population at risk. The NHS may see increased demand on GPs and ambulances, for example. |
| Travel disruption is also likely. | Travel disruption is also likely. |
| Red | Red |
| A red alert is the most severe. | A red alert is the most severe. |
| It is issued in situations when hot or cold weather would be a significant risk to life, for even the healthy population, and could lead to failures of critical national infrastructure, such as power outages or roads and rail lines being closed. | It is issued in situations when hot or cold weather would be a significant risk to life, for even the healthy population, and could lead to failures of critical national infrastructure, such as power outages or roads and rail lines being closed. |
| What does hot weather do to the body? | What does hot weather do to the body? |
| As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This leads to lower blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to push the blood around the body. | As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This leads to lower blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to push the blood around the body. |
| This can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky. | This can cause mild symptoms such as an itchy heat rash or swollen feet as blood vessels become leaky. |
| At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. | At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt and, crucially, the balance between them in the body changes. |
| This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Symptoms include: | This, combined with the lowered blood pressure, can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Symptoms include: |
| dizziness | dizziness |
| dizziness | dizziness |
| nausea | nausea |
| nausea | nausea |
| fainting | fainting |
| fainting | fainting |
| confusion | confusion |
| confusion | confusion |
| muscle cramps | muscle cramps |
| muscle cramps | muscle cramps |
| headaches | headaches |
| headaches | headaches |
| heavy sweating | heavy sweating |
| heavy sweating | heavy sweating |
| tiredness | tiredness |
| tiredness | tiredness |
| If blood pressure drops too far, the risk of heart attacks rises. | If blood pressure drops too far, the risk of heart attacks rises. |
| What does hot weather do to the body? | What does hot weather do to the body? |
| What does hot weather do to the body? | What does hot weather do to the body? |
| 10 tips for sleeping in hot weather | 10 tips for sleeping in hot weather |
| 10 tips for sleeping in hot weather | 10 tips for sleeping in hot weather |
| Six ways to keep your home cool | Six ways to keep your home cool |
| Six ways to keep your home cool | Six ways to keep your home cool |
| How does sunscreen work? | How does sunscreen work? |
| How does sunscreen work? | How does sunscreen work? |
| Related topics | |
| Met Office | Met Office |
| Weather forecasting | Weather forecasting |
| England | England |
| UK heatwaves | UK heatwaves |
| Severe weather | Severe weather |