The Met Office said its heatwave criteria are likely to be met by Wednesday across much of southern and central England.

LONDON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The British Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office on Monday issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for five regions of England, effective from Tuesday, as hot weather is expected to grip much of the country this week.

The amber alert, described as an "enhanced hot weather response," covers the West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, London, and East of England.

In addition, a yellow alert has been issued for the North West and North East regions during the same period. The South West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions remain under a yellow HHA already in force.

The Met Office said a combination of high pressure and a southerly airflow would push temperatures higher across much of England and Wales in the first half of the week, with some areas exceeding 30 degrees Celsius on Monday. London is likely to see temperatures peak in the mid-30s degrees on Tuesday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree said that warmth would dominate the first half of the week, with temperatures staying above average in the latter part, especially in the southeast.

The Met Office said its heatwave criteria, where specific thresholds must be exceeded for three consecutive days, are likely to be met by Wednesday across much of southern and central England.

The UKHSA warned that high temperatures would significantly impact the health and social care services.

Dr. Paul Coleman, consultant in Public Health at UKHSA, said such temperatures can cause serious health problems, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with underlying diseases. He urged the public to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sunny weather. ■