The UK had the driest start to a year since the 1970s in 2022, with large parts of southern England receiving less than 50% of their normal winter rainfall. On top of…Read More >
weather
Too hot to sleep? Nights are warming faster than days as Earth heats up
Sleeping at the height of summer can sometimes feel impossible. And with gruelling heatwaves becoming more common, the nights can be sweltering, with no cooling breeze to relieve the discomfort. At…Read More >
Four things cool countries can learn from hot ones about dealing with heatwaves
With our planet heating up, we all need help coping with increasing temperatures in our day-to-day lives. The UK provisionally recorded its highest ever temperature, 40.3℃, on July 19 2022, and records…Read More >
What is the World Climate Research Programme and why do we need it?
My schedule last week was rather awry. Over four days I took part in a meeting of 50 or so climate scientists from around the world. Because of the need…Read More >
‘Expect the unexpected’: Extreme weather is creating the perfect storm for risk contagion
So, you’ve stocked the freezer with ice cubes, shut the windows and curtains, and cancelled your exercise class, are you now fully prepared for the extreme heatwave? Of course, there’s…Read More >
Heatwave Britain hits 40.3°C – here’s how scientists know when a temperature record has been broken
The UK has experienced its hottest day on record, as provisional data showed the temperature soared to 40.3°C at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. This surpassed the previous record of 38.7°C set in Cambridge…Read More >
Heatwave: why extreme weather forecasts have improved so much
The UK has recorded its hottest ever temperature, passing 40℃ for the first time. But you can’t deny it had fair warning. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning six…Read More >
What science says about the best ways to cool down
We spend most of the year complaining that Britain is too cold and wet but gripe with just as much enthusiasm about the heat. Although moaning about the weather is…Read More >
Is Europe at risk from hurricanes?
Growing up in Europe late last century, I would have been a little surprised at this question, and my knee-jerk answer would have been a firm no: hurricanes happened on…Read More >
How a deluge of lockdown volunteers rescued UK’s hidden weather history
When it rains, it pours. Make hay while the sun shines. Save for a rainy day. Come rain or shine. The English language is overflowing with phrases about the weather,…Read More >