How do heat and cold-health alerts work?
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):
Green
Green is the normal level, when advice is given on how people should prepare to respond if temperatures rise or fall.
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.
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.
Travel disruption is also likely.
Red
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.
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