{"id":15070,"date":"2022-07-12T13:45:21","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T11:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=123458"},"modified":"2022-07-12T14:02:12","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T12:02:12","slug":"uk-heatwave-are-these-searing-temperatures-the-future-of-summers-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/uk-heatwave-are-these-searing-temperatures-the-future-of-summers-in-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"UK heatwave: Are these searing temperatures the future of summers in the UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Amy Barrett\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 12 July 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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A heatwave that is hitting countries across Europe will send temperatures soaring in the UK this week. The Met Office has issued extreme heat weather warnings for Sunday 17 and Monday 18 July<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to the Met Office, temperatures in the southeast could reach 35\u00b0C, with much of the south seeing temperatures around 32\u00b0C, but some weather models are showing the possibility that the UK could reach as high as 40\u00b0C this week \u2013 breaking the current record for the UK\u2019s highest temperature.<\/p>\n

The 2022 European heatwave has already caused the spreading of wildfires in Portugal<\/a> and in France<\/a>, and it follows a similar extreme weather event in June that caused droughts in some EU countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued health alerts for many UK regions, with individuals warned to stay hydrated and in the shade<\/a> between 11am and 3pm wherever possible. Though many will want to be out in the sunshine, heatwaves can be deadly \u2013 in the UK in 2020, an estimated 2,500+ extra deaths were related to heatwaves<\/a>, according to Public Health England.<\/p>\n

Climate scientists have warned that temperatures will continue to rise, so much so that London will, in 2050, feel as hot as summer in Barcelona<\/a> is now. Climate change is making heatwaves hotter and longer<\/a>, and without significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there will be many more extreme weather events in the UK\u2019s future<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Will the UK hit record-breaking temperatures above 40\u00b0C this week?<\/h2>\n

\u201cI have been watching all the global weather centre models over the last few days, and many of them are showing a possible \u2013 but not most likely \u2013 40\u00b0C heat, or more,\u201d said Prof Hannah Cloke<\/a>, a natural hazards researcher at the University of Reading.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that this is appearing in our weather models at all as a possibility is quite remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A forecast of possible UK weather temperatures, taken from the German Weather Service<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The current hottest UK temperature on record is 38.7\u00b0C, which occurred in July 2019 at the Cambridge Botanic Garden. At these high temperatures there is a risk of heat stroke and cardiovascular failure.<\/p>\n

High temperatures have also been shown to affect mental health and suicide rates<\/a>. Increases in accidents, like car crashes and drownings, are linked with rises in temperatures.<\/p>\n

When will the heatwave end?<\/h2>\n

The Met Office\u2019s long-range forecast<\/a> is less reliable than figures for the rest of this week, but suggests that from Tuesday 19 July onwards, the UK will see a return to cooler weather conditions.<\/p>\n

The following week\u2019s forecast, from Tuesday 26 July to Tuesday 9 August, is for \u201cgenerally fine weather\u201d. Temperatures will likely be above average for most, said the Met Office, especially in the south, with the potential for it to be hot across England and Wales.<\/p>\n

Should we expect heatwaves every summer in the UK?<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe current heatwave has certainly made the headlines. It\u2019s not the first this year, and probably won\u2019t be the last. We\u2019ll get more next year, and the year after, and so on,\u201d said Prof Nigel Arnell<\/a>, from the department of meteorology at the University of Reading.<\/p>\n

Arnell says UK summers will see more and more days where it\u2019s too hot to work, as well as temperatures damaging to our health \u2013 all due to climate change.<\/p>\n

\u201cWork by the Department of Meteorology shows that heat-related mortality will increase<\/a>. Not only does this affect individuals, families and communities, it all puts pressure on our health services and economy,\u201d said Arnell.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not really geared up to deal with more frequent heatwaves, other than through enacting emergency plans, and we can\u2019t really run in crisis mode each and every summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew building regulations have just come into force to reduce overheating risks in homes, but that will take years to have an impact. We urgently need to improve our existing housing stock to better insulate against both hot and cold weather \u2013 and that will help reduce our exposure to rising energy bills too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about the impacts of climate change:<\/strong><\/p>\n