Hot weather in the UK: How to stay cool in a heatwave
People are being advised not to travel on public transport unless it is “absolutely necessary” as services will be reduced due to a heat wave of up to 40C predicted for the next few days.
It comes after the Met Office issued amber and red warnings for “potentially serious illness or danger to life”.
Transport for London (TfL) boss Andy Lord told LBC there would be reduced services on the network “because of the safety restrictions we have to put in place because of the heat”.
London North East Railway (LNER) tweeted: “On Tuesday 19 July, DO NOT travel between London King’s Cross and south of York and Leeds as there will be no trains running. Travel only if necessary to other destinations.
Avanti West Coast said passengers should only travel if “absolutely necessary” from Sunday to Tuesday as there will be fewer services and possible delays due to “network imposed rail speed restrictions”.
During very hot weather, train speeds must be limited to reduce the risk of damage to the rails, which can bend in extreme cases.
Meanwhile, BBC Weather presenter and meteorologist Simon King indicated that temperatures could reach 42C in the East Midlands on Tuesday – tweeting that this level of heat “simply shouldn’t be happening”.
Key points
Show latest update 1658112540
What is a heat wave?
The Met Office defines a heatwave as “a prolonged period of hot weather relative to expected conditions for the area at this time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity”.
The UK experiences occasional heatwaves, but these are less frequent and more intense than those seen elsewhere in the world.
Summer 2019 saw a record breaking maximum temperature of 38.7C recorded at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens on 25 July.
What is a heat wave?
The scorching sun and scorching temperatures are returning to the UK
Stuti Mishra July 18, 2022 3:49 am
1658111421
The NHS is bracing for a surge in patients as a ‘life-threatening’ heatwave warning comes into effect
The NHS is bracing for a surge in the number of people admitted to hospital as a heatwave predicted to bring record UK temperatures sweeps the country.
Extra measures are in place for ambulances after the Met Office issued an amber and red alert.
The Met Office has issued the UK’s first ever red alert for much of England – from London to Manchester and York – as record temperatures are forecast for early next week, writes Lamiat Sabin.
The NHS is bracing for a surge in patient numbers amid a ‘life-threatening’ heatwave warning.
The UK’s Health Security Agency has described the heatwave as a ‘national emergency’
Maryam Zakir-Hussein July 18, 2022 3:30 am
1658107821
Britons should ‘enjoy the sun’, Dominic Raab says amid warnings people will die from extreme heat
Britons should “enjoy the sun” during the heatwave, Dominic Raab said, despite warnings that extreme temperatures could cause thousands of deaths.
The Deputy Prime Minister said people should be “resilient” as temperatures will soar to 40C on Monday and Tuesday, writes Jo Middleton.
“Obviously there’s some common sense practical advice we’re talking about – stay hydrated, stay out of the sun in the hottest hours, wear sunscreen – that sort of thing,” he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
Britons should ‘enjoy the sun’, says Raab amid extreme heat warnings
Deputy PM urges Britons to take ‘common sense’ precautions as temperatures soar
Maryam Zakir-Hussein July 18, 2022 02:30 am
1658104221
ICYMI – Boris Johnson skips crisis heatwave meeting to ‘host a Checkers party’
Boris Johnson missed a crisis meeting because of the looming life-threatening heatwave, apparently to host a party at his luxury country retreat in Checkers.
Ministers and experts gathered at the Cabinet Office on Saturday afternoon for a Cobra meeting to prepare for temperatures that reached an unprecedented 40C on Monday.
But the Prime Minister was 30 miles away in Buckinghamshire meeting friends and family before being kicked out of his country retreat in early September, writes Rob Merrick.
Boris Johnson skips crisis heatwave meeting to host Checkers party
PM ‘missing in action’ again – after missing vital Covid Cobra gatherings at start of premiership
Maryam Zakir-Hussein July 18, 2022 1:30 am
1658100621
Use these effective tips to beat the heat wave if you don’t have air conditioning
With the heat wave approaching, it’s important to know how to keep your home cool, especially if you don’t have air conditioning.
From closing your windows during the day to building your own DIY air conditioner, here’s what you can do to lower the temperature in your home.
How to keep your home cool in a heat wave
How to keep the house cool in a heat wave
Mariam Zakir-Hussein July 18, 2022 12:30 am
1658093123
Concern for the well-being of someone in the water
Emergency services launched a search after receiving reports of concern for the welfare of a man seen in a river in Northumberland on Sunday.
A North East Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We were called at 4.12pm this afternoon to reports of concerns about someone in the water off Piper Road in Ovingham.
“We currently have seven resources on site, but we cannot provide any further information at this time.”
Northumbria Police tweeted: “Just before 4.15pm today we received a report of concern for the welfare of a man who was seen in the river near Ovingham.
“Emergency services were deployed to the area and remain at the scene to locate the man and take him to safety.
“There is a large presence of various agencies in the area and we would ask the public not to congregate and avoid the area where possible.”
Katie Clifton July 17, 2022 10:25 pm
1658089836
The government is urged to act immediately
Ministers have been urged to take action to help Britain cope with extreme heat as the country faces temperatures above 40C for the first time.
Richard Miller, head of adaptation at the Committee on Climate Change, which advises the government, told The Independent that around 2,000 people die each year from heat-related injuries and illnesses in the UK, but this could rise to about 7,000 by mid-century if the government does not take urgent action to adapt to climate change.
Government ‘must act now’ to protect against extreme heat as UK braces for 40C
The government declared a national heat emergency for the first time on Friday, saying even fit and healthy people were at risk of dying from the sweltering heat
Katie Clifton Jul 17, 2022 9:30 pm
1658088032
Truss and Sunak’s view of the net zero goal
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she supported the target but “we need to achieve it in a way that doesn’t harm people and businesses”, underlining her plan for a moratorium on the green levy on energy bills.
Rishi Sunak supported the cause saying it is about the legacy left to children and grandchildren. “But we have to take people with us and if we go too hard and too fast then we’re going to lose people and that’s no way we’re going to get there,” he said.
Katie Clifton July 17, 2022 9:00 p.m
1658086232
Tory rivals on climate targets
With temperatures set to hit record highs, in tonight’s Tory leadership debate Penny Mordaunt said she was committed to the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 but “it shouldn’t stop people”.
Tom Tugendhat said in the ITV debate that he was committed to “making sure we deliver the nuclear reactors to be green”, backing carbon capture and storage projects and changing “the way we do wind farms” so to be able to be delivered faster.
Kemi Badenoch said the 2050 target was for a time when none of them would be in service “to be responsible for this”.
“If there are things in the plan that will bankrupt this country, I will change them, if there are things in the plan that will make life difficult for ordinary people, I will change them,” she said. “I believe in climate change, but we have to do it in a sustainable way.”
Katie Clifton July 17, 2022 8:30 pm
1658084682
Water suppliers have supply problems
Water suppliers are experiencing supply problems due to the hot weather, with some reporting lower pressure levels and others warning of further outages.
Affinity Water said the heat was leading to lower water pressure in areas such as London, Essex and Surrey.
The company urged customers to avoid non-essential water use and said it forecast an extra 164 million liters of water would be needed on Monday compared to normal demand.
“Because of the hot weather, many of us are using a lot more water,” the supplier said.
“This means you may see lower pressure or no water when demand in your area is higher.”
Katie Clifton July 17, 2022 at 8:04 pm
Add Comment