Experts warn of wildfires and drought as temperatures rise

The UK is hot, hot, hot this weekend in a resurgence of the heatwave thatcaused record highs in mid July.

Parts of the country could seetemperatures as high as 35Cthis weekend and with that experts have warned of wildfires, drought, and thunderstorms.

It comes as the southern half of the UK has been hit by drought conditions this weekend, while the northern half braces for thunderstorms on Sunday and an amber heat warning has been issued by the Met Office.

This means heat-related illnesses including sunburn and heat exhaustion are “likely” among the general population, and delays to public transport are “possible”.

Meanwhile, yellow thunderstorm warnings are in place from noon on Sunday until 6am on Monday for most of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and from 10am until midnight for Wales and England.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said that the weather will continue to be dry across the south.

“For the rest of the weekend, across the south, there will be a continuation of the very dry and hot conditions,” he said.

“We’re looking at temperatures, for the remainder of Saturday, of up to 34C or 35C across the south, feeling a little bit fresher across the north, but temperatures up there still well above where they should be for the time of year.

“As we move into, into Sunday, a slight change with low pressure starting to arrive from the south.

“There is an increasing risk of some isolated showers across Devon and Cornwall, very early on Sunday.

“Most places still generally dry and fine, with some strong August sunshine, with those temperatures rising rapidly during the course of Sunday morning and into the afternoon.”

He added that there was still a risk of more wildfires.

“It has been extremely dry for an extended period and the ground and vegetation has been baked dry, so there is a significant risk.”

An official drought was declared in eight areas of England on Friday by the National Drought Group (NDG), which comprises representatives from the Government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others.

England’s drought could persist into the next year, according to the EA. John Curtin, executive director for local operations at the EA, said that after the driest summer in 50 years, it would take “weeks’ worth of rain” to replenish water sources.

Three water companies, Welsh Water, Southern Water, and South East Water, have all imposed hosepipe bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced a ban will start on August 26 and Thames Water is planning one in the coming weeks.

READ MORE:

• UK heatwave: Cool your house down with this 68p tin foil trick

• Heatwave-busting loft hatch trick will help keep your whole house cool

• Experts reveal reason you should avoid a cold shower during a heatwave

• Cost of filling up paddling pool as temperatures soar across UK

• Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter

Source: Read Full Article