Latest news with #GreatBritishHeatwave
The Age
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Age
The Great British Heatwave has officially arrived – and this is just the beginning
London: The Great British Heatwave has officially arrived, and it's not so much a summer as it is a state of national disbelief. With an amber heat-health alert in place until Monday and thermometers nudging 34 degrees, the country famous for queuing in drizzle is now lining up in 'flip-flops' for ice-cream, often shirtless, and sometimes with questionable sun hats. Across the country, people are streaming to beaches, stripping off in parks, and pretending not to wilt on the Tube, while declaring loudly, 'It's not the heat, it's the humidity'. The UK Health Security Agency activated the five-day amber alert from Thursday night AEST, warning of a potential 'rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions'. Health and social care services are bracing for 'significant impacts', including increased demand for power and heat-related disruptions to workforce productivity. Welcome to the new British summer – like the old one, but now with ultraviolet radiation warnings and 'tropical nights', where the temperature might not fall below 20 degrees. The Met Office, the UK's weather bureau, has already recorded 30.1 degrees in London's St James's Park – the hottest day of the year so far. By Saturday, forecasters say the mercury could match or exceed the June record of 35.6, set in 1976. In other words: 'This is not normal.' With the heat rising and tempers fraying, office workers are abandoning commutes for conservatories. One wag summed it up: 'Working from the garden today.'
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Great British Heatwave has officially arrived – and this is just the beginning
London: The Great British Heatwave has officially arrived, and it's not so much a summer as it is a state of national disbelief. With an amber heat-health alert in place until Monday and thermometers nudging 34 degrees, the country famous for queuing in drizzle is now lining up in 'flip-flops' for ice-cream, often shirtless, and sometimes with questionable sun hats. Across the country, people are streaming to beaches, stripping off in parks, and pretending not to wilt on the Tube, while declaring loudly, 'It's not the heat, it's the humidity'. The UK Health Security Agency activated the five-day amber alert from Thursday night AEST, warning of a potential 'rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions'. Health and social care services are bracing for 'significant impacts', including increased demand for power and heat-related disruptions to workforce productivity. Welcome to the new British summer – like the old one, but now with ultraviolet radiation warnings and 'tropical nights', where the temperature might not fall below 20 degrees. The Met Office, the UK's weather bureau, has already recorded 30.1 degrees in London's St James's Park – the hottest day of the year so far. By Saturday, forecasters say the mercury could match or exceed the June record of 35.6, set in 1976. In other words: 'This is not normal.' With the heat rising and tempers fraying, office workers are abandoning commutes for conservatories. One wag summed it up: 'Working from the garden today.'
