Parts of the UK are already experiencing heatwave conditions, the BBC reports. People are struggling to keep their houses cool, work efficiently and get a good night’s sleep. In the UK, heatwave criteria are met when a location records three consecutive days of hitting the region’s threshold, which varies between 25C and 28C.
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Areas of West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Devon and Wales passed their heatwave threshold on Tuesday 5 September, the Met Office said, although Tuesday's highest temperatures still did not beat June's record high of 32.2C.
The hottest day
Heat health alerts across England have been bumped up from yellow to amber in light of recent predictions for the days to come. Amy Bokota, a Met Office meteorologist, said that 13 weather stations had already officially recorded a heatwave, and that ‘a few extra’ were likely to do the same over the next few days.
Today, Wednesday 6 September, we can expect highs of 32C. But the hottest temperatures will hit tomorrow, on Thursday 7 September, with a predicted 33C peak. This is reportedly to continue into the weekend: ‘It will then be 32C right the way until Sunday for some places in the south’, said Bokota.
This summer’s strange weather
This summer season has really kept us on our toes; July was wetter and cooler than average while the previous month was the UK’s hottest June on record. Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesman, has said that you could experience a ‘tropical night’ tonight if you are based in the south of England. This is when temperatures do not drop below 20C throughout the night.
Unsurprisingly, Scotland is set to have less extreme heat, but will still see an increase in temperatures. Average temperatures are expected to return across the UK by the middle of next week.
Lastly, if you’ve been seeing some particularly picturesque sunsets of late, forecasters can explain why: apparently, ‘Saharan dust’ has blown over to us in the UK and will continue to cover the country for the rest of the week.
Read more:
⋙ Weather alert: UK to be hit by ‘heat dome’, here’s how long the heatwave may last
⋙ Cheeky bear wanted to cool down amid heatwave and took a dip in someone's pool
Sources used:
BBC: UK heatwave: Hottest day expected with temperatures of 32C
