Temperatures broke all-time records across the UK yesterday (July 19) as the current heatwave continues. The mercury hit 40.2 at London Heathrow in a first for the UK as many sought relief from the sweltering conditions.
A number of schools sent children home at lunchtime, while many train services were suspended. Many took to social media for their tips and hacks for keeping cool with England and Wales under a “red” extreme heat warning.
Roads were reported to be melting, fires broke out across cities and chocolate was seen melting on supermarket shelves. With the country struggling through two days of this extreme heat, should we be better prepared for the next one?
What is a heatwave?
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of the year. In the United Kingdom, a location must record three consecutive days with a maximum temperature that exceeds the threshold, which varies depending on the county. For example, Liverpool and the surrounding Merseyside area have a threshold of 25C.
Why do heatwaves happen?
Heatwaves are most common during the summer months when high pressure develops across an area. High-pressure systems are slow-moving and can persist over an area for a prolonged period of time, such as days or weeks.
They can occur in the UK due to the location of the jet stream, which is usually to the north of the UK, in the summer. As a result, high pressure can develop over the UK resulting in persistent dry and settled weather.
What is causing the heatwave?
The extreme temperatures are being caused by climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions, the Met Office has insisted. Prof Stephen Belcher, the chief of science and technology, says that Met Office research shows it is "virtually impossible" for the current records to be reached in an "undisrupted climate".
In a video posted on Twitter, he says if the UK continues with a trajectory of high emissions we could see temperatures like this every three years. Rising emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are caused by our burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, which trap heat in our atmosphere.
Prof Belcher explains the country is "already committed to a level of warming" and the extremes will get worse in the future. He also calls for the UK to continue with its target to eliminate its overall emissions of greenhouse gases, a target known as "net zero".
"The only way we can stabilise the climate is by achieving net zero. And of course, the UK has made some great strides in that direction already, but we want to stabilise the climate at a safe level and that means reaching net zero soon," he says.
When will the next heatwave be?
Forecasters are saying yet another heatwave could be on the way. Chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Paul Davies, expects temperatures to ease from tomorrow (July 20), but another heatwave could strike in August.
Mr Davies told Sky News: “When we look to the future in terms of the next week, there is an easier time because, in fact, the temperatures start to ease back to what we describe as slightly above normal from about Wednesday onwards. But as we move into all this, you just can’t rule out another plume.”
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