Britain is preparing for another week of scorching temperatures, with experts announcing that a Level 3 Heat Health Alert would be in force from noon today, with little rain forecast to assist alleviate the danger of drought, which has caused hosepipe restrictions and fire warnings.
Temperatures in the capital are anticipated to reach 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, while Southampton and Exeter are likely to hit 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).
Temperatures in central and southern regions of the UK are expected to soar into the low to mid-30s by Thursday, according to the Met Office, but will not be as intense as the record-breaking heat in July, when the thermometer went beyond 40 degrees Celsius.
From noon today until Saturday 13 August, the UK Health Security Agency has issued a Level 3 Heat Health Alert for southern and central England, warning Britons to ‘watch out for others, particularly elderly individuals, small children and newborns, and those with underlying health concerns.’
It also advises people to ‘shut curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep interior areas cooler and remember that it may be cooler outside than inside’, as well as ‘drink enough of fluids and avoid excess alcohol, dress properly for the weather, and slow down when it is hot.’
With the recent heatwave after months of low rain that have left the countryside and urban parks and gardens tinder-dry, some residents are being asked not to kindle fires or have barbecues.
The Met Office’s fire severity index (FSI), which assesses how catastrophic a fire may become if it were to start, is extremely high for much of England and Wales, and will reach ‘exceptional’ for a large portion of the country by the weekend.
Meanwhile, Tory leadership candidate Liz Truss has weighed in on hosepipe bans after two water companies announced them, and others warned that they may need to follow suit, following the driest eight months from November to June since 1976, as well as the driest July on record for parts of southern and eastern England.
‘My opinion is that we should be harsher on the water providers, and that there hasn’t been enough action to deal with these faulty pipes that have been there for years,’ Ms Truss said.
‘I have a lot of problems with my water provider in Norfolk, which is a very dry portion of the nation, and those corporations need to be held accountable,’ she says.
Hosepipe bans, she told the Daily Express,’should be a last option,’ adding, ‘What I’m concerned about is that it seems to be a first response rather than the water providers dealing with the leaks.’
‘Temperatures will feel quite warm again this week, especially in southern and central regions of the nation,’ said Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
‘We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather as safely as possible when it comes, but keep in mind that heat may have a rapid effect on health.’
‘It is critical to ensure that the most vulnerable individuals, such as elderly persons living alone and those with underlying health concerns, are prepared to deal with the hot weather.’
‘The most essential recommendation is to remain hydrated, stay cool, and take precautions to protect their houses from overheating.’
Droughts are becoming more likely as a result of climate change, which is caused by greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities.
Heatwaves are also becoming more severe, frequent, and probable as a result of climate change, with last month’s record temperatures rendered at least ten times more likely by global warming and ‘nearly impossible’ without it, according to study.
When questioned about the potential of a hosepipe ban in London, government minister Paul Scully said it is “always smart” for people to save water.
‘But we’ll examine carefully because the entire thing about London and the South East is that the more development there is and the less rainfall there is, clearly there’s less to go around, and we’ve got to be cautious,’ he said.
Heatwave thresholds, which are reached at various temperatures in different regions of the nation, are expected to be fulfilled over most of the UK.
Scotland and Northern Ireland will also expect high 20s temperatures and may meet formal heatwave standards by Friday, according to forecasts.
To reflect the rising circumstances in the UK, the Met Office has upgraded the temperatures required for an official heatwave in eight English counties.
‘Heatwave requirements are likely to be reached for wide sections of the UK later this week, with the warmest regions forecast in central and southern England and Wales on Friday and Saturday,’ said Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wardle.
‘On Saturday, temperatures might reach 35°C or perhaps 36°C.
‘Elsewhere, temperatures will rise into the mid 20s and low 30s Celsius later this week as temperatures rise day by day owing to an area of high pressure spreading over most of the UK.
‘Coupled with the high daytime temperatures will be sustained warm nights, with the mercury barely dropping to the low 20s Celsius in some southern places.’
According to the Met Office, there is minimal rain in the forecast, with only the North West expected to witness brief showers.
‘Further south, which has experienced little rain for some time now, dryness will persist through the week and bring little respite for parched territory, particularly in the South East,’ Mr Wardles added.
According to Richard Allan, professor of climate science at the University of Reading, there are several reasons why drought episodes worsen as a consequence of human-caused climate change.
A warmer atmosphere is thirstier and dries up the ground, while heatwaves increase the development of drought conditions, and ocean breezes cannot blow enough precipitation over the land because continents are warming so quickly.
Uneven global warming may also disturb weather patterns, making longer spells of rainy or dry weather more prevalent.
‘Human-caused climate warming is exacerbating the global water cycle and changing weather patterns, resulting in more severe droughts but also more major flooding events throughout the world,’ said Prof Allan.
‘Above all, the drought risk we are seeing in the UK is a reminder that we urgently need to tackle the problem at source: this means reducing emissions from fossil fuels to limit the extent of harmful climate change we will face,’ said Dr Leslie Mabon, lecturer in environmental systems at The Open University.
‘Additionally, nations like the United Kingdom, which has historically had a more moderate climate and has less experience dealing with the long-term impacts of hot, dry periods, must prepare now to adapt to hotter weather.
‘This involves looking at our water infrastructure and assessing where improvements should be made to ensure we are better prepared for managing water during hot times,’ says the report.
Hosepipe restrictions might be in effect until October, with no’meaningful rainfall’ expected anytime soon, as temperatures in several regions of England reach 36 degrees Celsius, prompting a ‘category three’ heat warning.
Temperatures are expected to surge into the low to mid-30s in central and southern regions of the UK, but will not be as intense as the record-breaking heat in July, when the thermometer went beyond 40 degrees Celsius.
From Tuesday to Saturday, the UK Health Security Agency has issued a heat health warning for southern and central England, with experts asking people to keep an eye out for the elderly, those with pre-existing health concerns, and small children.
An Atlantic weather system is expected to drop temperatures by 10 degrees Celsius next week, as well as increasing the possibility of rain and thunderstorms. However, it is unlikely to be significant enough to replace water supply.
Following the driest eight months from November to June since 1976, including the driest July on record for portions of southern and eastern England, two water firms have already implemented hosepipe restrictions, and others have warned they may need to follow suit.
According to The Times, Southern Water, which has enforced a moratorium in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has appealed to the Environment Agency for a six-month “drought permit” to enable it to take more water from the River Test.
The flow of the River Test had been 2,500 megalitres (Ml) per day in March, but has now dropped to 450Ml.
According to Southern Water, the flow might drop even more this month to 365Ml, exceeding the legal limit for withdrawing water.
‘The permission would last six months or until flows restored to above 500Ml per day for 21 consecutive days,’ said a spokeswoman.