Dramatic weather change in store as heatwave passes
The warnings are in place from Wednesday evening into Thursday, following the fourth heatwave of the summer which saw temperatures reach 33C in some places.
Forecasters anticipate heavy showers, with up to 50mm of rainfall possible, alongside hail and gusty winds.
Potential disruptions include difficult driving conditions, road closures, and a slight chance of power cuts.
There is also a warning of a small risk to life from fast-flowing or deep floodwater in affected areas.
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
More than 400 people suspected to have died from extreme heat in Arizona county
More than 400 people are suspected to have died from extreme heat in Maricopa county, Arizona, so far this summer, according to official figures, as the brutal current heatwave enters its 12th day. August is on track to be the hottest on record, with temperatures hitting at least 110F (43C) every day apart from one so far. As of 11 August, at least three daily records had been broken including an all-time monthly high of 118F (48C), as well as several night-time record temperatures, according to Isaac Smith, meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix. The current extreme heat warning issued by the NWS is the fourth and longest of the summer thus far, and will extend at least through Wednesday night with temperatures forecast to hit 110F. Increased cloud cover and possible thunderstorms will then bring a brief respite towards the weekend but another very hot spell is forecast by the start of next week. Maricopa county is home to Phoenix, the fifth largest and hottest major US city, as well as several smaller urban hubs dotted amid the Sonora desert including Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa. Midway through the hot season, the current official death count – including suspected and confirmed heat-related fatalities – is about 30% lower than this time last year, the second deadliest on record. In 2025, the county medical examiner's office has so far confirmed only 35 heat deaths – 17 directly caused by exposure to high temperatures, and 18 cases where heat contributed to the fatality, including by exacerbating chronic medical conditions or the effects of alcohol or methamphetamine. Another 369 suspected heat-related deaths remain under investigation, according to the county's heat surveillance dashboard which is updated weekly. June and July were a little cooler than recent years, despite topping 115F on multiple days, which at least partially explains the lower death toll. Improved access and extended hours at city cooling centres may also be playing a role, according to Dr Nick Staab, the county's chief medical officer. First responders and hospitals have reportedly gotten better at treating heatstroke and other temperature-related emergencies. Yet despite the encouraging numbers, Maricopa county is still on track to be the deadliest place for heat in the US after New York City, the country's largest metropolis, where heat contributes to 525 deaths on average each year. 'With this many cases still under investigation and it only being mid-August, there's a lot that could still happen,' Staab told KJZZ, the local public radio station. Heat-related deaths have soared in Maricopa county over the past decade, with 645 in 2023 compared to 61 in 2014. The county has become increasingly unlivable for many amid record-breaking heatwaves driven by the global climate crisis, unchecked urban sprawl and an affordable housing crisis – which combined with patchy mental health and substance misuse services has contributed to a growing unsheltered population. Last year, heat deaths fell for the first time in a decade to 608, according to official figures, but the city and county have since come under fire for alleged undercounting. A recent investigation by the local TV station ABC15 identified multiple cases in which heat was discounted as a factor despite the person dying in extreme temperatures. 'People are dying awful, preventable deaths that are not being accounted for in the official figures. We need more consistency and transparency if we're going to wrap solutions around this public health crisis,' said Stacey Champion, a community advocate campaigning for more standardized counting of heat-related deaths in Arizona. Neither the city nor the county responded immediately to questions surrounding the official death toll. Heat is the deadliest weather phenomenon. But every heat death is preventable, and often indicates a lack of access to adequate shelter, cooling and/or health, addiction and social services. So far this year, three-quarters of heat-related deaths have occurred outside, where temperatures in the most built-up, least shady parts of Phoenix can be 20 or 30F higher on the sidewalk than the NWS's airport weather station. Unhoused people account for 40% of deaths, while substance misuse contributed to two-thirds. June was the 11th warmest on record, and July the ninth hottest. The city, county and state have sought to tackle the increasingly unlivable summer environment through tree canopy initiatives, cooling technologies and an expansion of cooling centres among other policies – in part with the help of Biden-era programs and funds. But there is little or no hope of ongoing federal support under the Trump administration, which is dismantling environmental justice programs, climate change research and mitigation efforts, as well as access to healthcare, food stamps (Snap) and other social safety nets. Currently one in four heat deaths in the county occur indoors, and energy costs are predicted to rise significantly under Trump which risks making Maricopa county and beyond even more deadly as summers get hotter. Meanwhile firefighters are struggling to control at least five major wildfires across the state, which have so far burnt about 180,000 acres. Hot, dry and windy conditions are fuelling the flames in Arizona – as well as fires in California, Utah, Colorado and large swathes of Canada.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Farming Today 13/08/25 Pig rules, drought, carcass use
New rules to make trade fairer for pig producers come in today. A series of recent difficulties in the industry revealed that many farmers didn't have proper contracts for their stock. The new system aims to change that. The dry weather continues, with heat alerts out for all of England. It can be a problem for farmers, not only immediately, but for crops just establishing now to be harvested in Autumn or Winter. We speak to a pumpkin farmer who needs his crops to be ready at Halloween. All this week we're looking at what happens to the parts of an animal carcass that we as consumers don't like to eat. Today we visit a rendering plant which deals with fallen stock on farms. Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Sally Challoner
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Tropical storm Podul drenches southern China
BEIJING, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Tropical storm Podul drenched southern China on Thursday, dumping more than 70 mm (2.76 inches) of rain an hour on parts of the provinces of Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi and disrupting hospitals and law courts in Hong Kong. The Asian financial hub issued its highest-level "black" weather warning, adjourning the hearing of Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai until the torrential rain subsides, as a queue formed outside the court for the public gallery. Medical authorities announced that out-patient clinics across Hong Kong would shut until the 'black' rainstorm warning is lifted, with accident and emergency services remaining open. The postal service said it would also suspend operations due to the downpour. Podul weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm after making landfall in Taiwan on Wednesday, where winds of up to 191 kph (118 mph) left one person missing and 143 injured, but its residual vortex stands to wreak havoc in southern China, still reeling from the heaviest rains in generations last week. China, the world's second-largest economy, faces growing threats from extreme weather, which meteorologists link to climate change. Risks that each year stand to wipe out tens of billions of dollars worth of commercial activity, as cities flood, shipping activity stalls, and croplands are washed out. Podul made landfall on the coast of China's southeastern province of Fujian at 00:30 local time (GMT 16:30 Wednesday), and is forecast to move northwest at a speed of 30 to 35 kms (21.75 miles) per hour, according to China's weather authority. A good day for the ducks, though, who will have the Hong Kong Wetland Park to themselves, which is closed for the time being.
