A heat health alert has been issued for Greater Manchester ahead of the weekend.
The alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office for large parts of the country including the North West of England.
Temperatures across Greater Manchester are forecast to hit 27C over the weekend. The Met Office has also warned a heatwave will likely be triggered in the region over the coming days.
According to The Met Office, the daily maximum temperature must reach 25C or higher in Greater Manchester for three consecutive days in a row to class as a heatwave. It is forecast to be over this threshold for every day from Saturday until Friday 16 June.
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During a yellow heat health alert people are warned to check on loved ones over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing medical conditions as the temperatures rise.
There is also the potential for indoor environments, including health and care settings, to become very warm.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said: "In the coming days we are likely to experience our first sustained period of hot weather of the year so far, so it’s important that everyone ensures they keep hydrated and cool while enjoying the sun.
"Forecasted temperatures this week will primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
"If you have friends, family or neighbours who you know are more vulnerable to the effects of hot weather, it is important you check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice."
Yellow heat health alerts have also been issued in London, the North East and Yorkshire and Humber regions of England.
More severe amber alerts have been issued for the West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East and South West. An amber alert indicates that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, and at this level we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population, not just the most vulnerable.
The heat health alerts will be in place from 9am on Friday to 9am on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms which comes into force at 2pm on Saturday, covering almost all of Greater Manchester, as well as Wales and the south east, south west and north west of England.
The Met Office said: "Whilst many places will be largely dry, thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail are likely to develop in some places on Saturday afternoon. High temperatures developing across parts of England and Wales on Saturday are expected to trigger a scattering of showers across this area, some of which are likely to be torrential and thundery, bringing 30-40mm in an hour."
It continued: "The odd place affected by multiple showers could see more than this, perhaps in excess of 60mm. As well as rain, hail, strong gusts of wind, and lightning will be additional hazards. Despite all of this, many places in the warning area will remain dry, or only see small amounts of rain, due to the well-scattered nature of the heaviest showers."
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