A Yellow heat health alert covers Kirkby until Sunday evening as the third major heatwave of 2026 settles across the region. The UK Health Security Agency issued the warning for the North West at 9am on Wednesday 8 July, and it remains in force until 9pm on 12 July.
Temperatures will peak at 31°C in Kirkby on Friday, with overnight lows staying around 18°C. Sunny conditions dominate through the weekend, when the mercury is still expected to reach 29°C on Saturday and 28°C on Sunday. UV levels hit 7, the top of the High category, each day from Thursday to Monday, prompting a Met Office reminder to seek shade around midday and use sunscreen. Pollen counts are very high on Thursday and Friday before easing slightly to High by Sunday.
This is the third distinct hot spell of the year. The first arrived in late May, and a more intense event in late June triggered the country’s only second Red alert on record. Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said current conditions are unlikely to produce impacts as severe as that June heatwave, but he still urged older residents and those with underlying conditions to stay cool and hydrated. Officials advise limiting outdoor activity between 11am and 3pm, drinking plenty of water, and checking in on neighbours who might be isolated.
The Met Office expects the hot, settled pattern to gradually ease next week, though the National Fire Chiefs Council has separately warned of heightened wildfire risk while the dry conditions persist.
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