Temperatures are forecast to climb as high as 32C across Greater Manchester on bank holiday Monday, making it the hottest day of the year so far and bringing a yellow heat-health alert into sharper focus for the city region. The warning, issued by the UK Health Security Agency, took effect at 2pm on Friday, 22 May and is due to stay in place until 5pm on Wednesday, 27 May.
The alert covers Greater Manchester and sits alongside yellow warnings for the North East, South West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the wider North West. A more severe amber heat-health alert has been issued for the East and West Midlands, the East of England, London and the South East.
That difference matters because the UK Health Security Agency says a yellow alert points to weather that is likely to have localised or minor impacts across health and social care services, while an amber alert signals conditions that are likely to have a significant impact. The forecast for Monday would put Greater Manchester at the peak of a brief but sharp hot spell, with the bank holiday set to be the warmest day of the year so far if the prediction holds.
A Met Office spokesperson said temperatures above 35C are rarely seen even in the summer months, adding that temperatures getting close to 35C in May is “pretty historic.” The comment underlines how unusual this early-season heat is, even if the forecast for Greater Manchester stops short of that level.
The hour-by-hour temperature guide referenced in the forecast is based on Met Office website information as of 11am, though the detailed figures are not included in the text. What is clear is that manchester weather is set to turn markedly warmer over the bank holiday period, with the next official checkpoint coming when the alert expires at 5pm on Wednesday.
