Yorkshire heatwave: Amber weather warning for extreme heat in Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield and across England and Wales

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat covering four days from Thursday to Sunday across England and Wales.

Cities including Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster, Sheffield and the surrounding areas are affected.

The amber heat alert “requires social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high-risk groups”, but is one stage lower than the most serous level four red warning issued in last month’s heatwave.

The Met Office said temperatures over coming days will not be as extreme as the record-breaking heat in July when the thermometer climbed above 40C, however it is still likely to rise into the low to mid-30s in central and southern parts of the UK.

Heatwave thresholds – which are met at different temperatures in different parts of the country – are likely to be hit in much of the UK.

Outside the hottest areas, much of England and Wales and south-east Scotland could see temperatures widely in the high 20s, with a chance of a few spots seeing temperatures into the low 30s, the Met Office said.