Reduced water flow in homes due to burst main in Swindon
Some properties are experiencing reduced water flow as engineers work to repair a burst water pipe.Thames Water said it found the burst pipe, which is located between The Croft and Wichelstowe in Swindon, on Sunday evening and those in the SN1, SN3 and SN4 postcodes were affected.The water supplier said tankers were being used and it was adjusting their network to bring water from other areas to reduce disruption."You may see lower pressure than normal during peak usage times and we apologise for this inconvenience to your morning," it said.
"We know how inconvenient it is if you lose your water supply, so we'll work hard to get things back to normal as soon as we can," Thames Water added.
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The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Farmers' harvest in limbo after UK endures driest spring in nearly 70 years
British farmers are bracing for potentially disastrous harvests following the hottest spring on record, compounded by the driest conditions seen in decades, new analysis reveals. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) warns that climate change is already having a "devastating" impact on farmers, food security and shopping bills, and that recent weather extremes will negatively impact the upcoming harvest. The warning comes as concerns mount that the Government will cut funding for sustainable farming in the upcoming spending review. Farmers and environmentalists warn that such cuts would undermine efforts to restore nature, build resilience to climate shocks, and support rural communities. Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said this year's arable harvest was "on a knife edge" and stressed the need for funding to build resilience. Experts say that nature-friendly farming measures, such as promoting healthy soils and boosting natural predators of crop pests, can significantly enhance agriculture 's resilience to climate extremes. Mr Lines, who farms in Cambridgeshire, said: 'Months of dry weather have left my crops stressed, with their yield potential now capped even if we get a good bit of rain. 'This is what farming in a changing climate looks like.' And he said: 'It's wreaking havoc with my ability to plan and many farmers are now facing yet more financial losses this harvest, just as support for nature-friendly farming is being called into question. 'Nature-friendly farming is the backbone of rural resilience. Cutting funding now won't save money; it will cost us all in the long run,' he warned. The UK has experienced its hottest spring in records dating back to the 19th century, and its driest in more than 50 years with rainfall at just 40 per cent of average levels. England suffered the driest three months from March to May in more than 100 years, Met Office figures show. The north-west of England is already in drought, and the Environment Agency has warned of the risk of more widespread drought without sustained rainfall. Analysis from ECIU estimates the production of the main arable crops – wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape – could once again be near all-time lows, following the third-worst harvest on record last year after the extreme rainfall in winter 2023/2024. The assessment draws on the most recent crop development survey from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which identified a major decline in crop conditions due to the dry spring, reducing yield potential despite recent rainfall. It looks at three scenarios, reflecting what might happen with rainfall in the coming weeks. If crop condition is maintained at current levels, yields would be in line with last year, leading to a worse harvest than 2024, due to fewer acres of oilseed rape and spring barley planted outweighing an increase in wheat, and making 2025 the second-worst harvest in records dating back to the 1980s. If rain helps crop conditions improve and yields recover to the 10-year average, the UK harvest would be the seventh-worst on record, the ECIU estimates. And if crop condition continues to decline and yields are equivalent to 2020 – the worst harvest so far since the detailed records began in 1984 – this year could become the worst harvest on record. Tom Lancaster, land, food and farming analyst at ECIU, said: 'Climate change is already having a devastating impact on UK farming and our collective food security, pushing up shopping bills and leaving many farmers at the end of their tether. 'Although it's too early to tell what the true impact will be of this record-breaking dry spring, we know enough to conclude that it will have had a negative impact.' He said scientists were clear warmer springs were a feature of climate change, making the impact of a dry spring more severe, while extreme wet winters were also being fuelled by rising global temperatures. Many crops were hit by extreme rainfall in England last September and October, just as winter crops should have been drilled, delaying them to the spring and making them more vulnerable to the recent dry, warm weather. 'In this volatile context, the outcome of the spending review next week will be a crucial moment for farming in this country, and whether the Government realises what's at stake for UK farming and food security in a rapidly changing climate,' Mr Lancaster said.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Derek Brockway: Could AI weather forecasting cost me my job?
Weather forecasts play a huge role in our daily lives. They help us to decide how we get to work, if we need an umbrella and when to hang out the washing. For industries like farming, shipping, aviation and renewable energy, accurate forecasts are essential.I've been presenting the weather on the BBC for nearly 30 years. Over that time, I've witnessed how our changing climate is bringing more extreme and intense weather is so important to keep improving the way we predict the weather, and scientists are exploring how AI could make forecasting more accurate, efficient, and faster than ever before. In some countries, broadcasters have even begun to experiment with AI-generated weather does all this mean that forecasters like me could soon be out of a job? Traditionally, weather forecasting relies on complex numerical weather prediction models which require vast amounts of data and supercomputers - like the ones used by the Met Office. But the Met Office is now working with experts from the Alan Turing Institute, the UK's national centre for data science and AI, to build a new global forecasting system powered by AI. One of their models, called FastNet, uses machine learning to improve prediction Kirstine Dale, Chief AI Officer at the Met Office, said it had the potential to revolutionise forecasting. "AI is phenomenally fast - not just a bit faster, but tens of thousands of times faster," she told me. "That means it can produce up to date forecasts with a fraction of the computational cost and carbon dioxide."She said AI could also produce "hyper-localised" forecasts, "potentially offering more up to date forecasts tailored to your postcode".Forecasts driven by AI could also help to mitigate against the impacts of storms, floods and heatwaves by providing earlier and more accurate warnings of severe weather. But there are challenges - especially in predicting rare or extreme weather events. "The past is no longer a reliable indicator of the future," said Prof Dale."So we need traditional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models to explore how the climate may change and generate recalibrated datasets. "These recalibrated datasets of future climates can be used to train AI-based models."AI-based models simply aren't aware of the physics - and changing physics - of the atmosphere, so NWP will likely continue to play a vital role in forecasting extreme events, as well as adding a layer of validation to AI forecasting outputs." Dr Scott Hosking, Mission Director for Environmental Forecasting at the Turing Institute, said that once trained, AI models were cheaper and quicker to run than traditional forecasting systems."AI has surprised us in a number of ways," said Dr Hosking."One of them is how well it predicts the tracks of cyclones and hurricanes. AI is always learning what it has seen in the past."But he said AI still had some way to go in certain areas, including in its ability to forecast high-intensity rainfall - the kind that often leads to flash could also play a key role in space weather forecasting, helping to predict solar storms more accurately and efficiently. These storms, caused by solar activity, are best known for producing the aurora borealis - the Northern Lights - which have been seen in Wales several times recently. But space weather can be hazardous too, affecting Earth's magnetic field and potentially disrupting communication systems and Huw Morgan, Head of Solar System Physics at Aberystwyth University, led a project to enhance the Met Office's space weather forecasting. Speaking from the university's AI Hub, he told me AI could offer a vital role."It's a very complicated system to try to model. Forecasts exist but they have many weaknesses because space weather is so complex," Dr Morgan said."And unlike on Earth, we can't put recording stations on the Sun or between the Sun and Earth. "We are really dependent on remote data from telescopes. "So AI offers a good solution, because we can't monitor the whole system constantly, and we cannot really build models that are appropriate for the system yet."However, Dr Morgan acknowledges AI has its challenges and scientists will continue to rely on traditional space weather forecasting techniques for now. 'No one wants an AI Derek' So what about AI-generated weather presenters?Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern is not so sure."It's important for people to have presenters they trust," he told me. "No one wants an AI version of Derek. "They want the real Derek - someone who can take all the data and explain it in a way that makes sense."Aidan is optimistic about what the future holds for forecasting."When I started this job 18 years ago, we couldn't really predict beyond four or five days. "Now we're giving outlooks 10 or even 14 days ahead. "We may not be able to give specific details that far out but we can already offer a sense of whether it'll be warm or cold, wet or dry - and highlight big changes on the way."And with AI, the potential only grows."Just imagine - in the near future, we might be able to talk about a month's worth of weather at once, and visualise it in a way that really connects with the public. "That's hugely exciting."The potential for AI in weather prediction is immense, but AI won't replace traditional forecasting methods entirely. It's more likely to work alongside them and be another tool for meteorologists like me to use. For now, at least, I think my job is safe. Hopefully the real Derek will continue to say "hello, shwmae" for a long while yet.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Eight expert tips for growing a bumper strawberry crop this summer
British strawberries are off to an exceptional start this season, buoyed by ideal growing conditions, according to British Berry Growers. The combination of warm days, cool nights, and record-breaking sunshine has led to one of the most bountiful early harvests in recent years. While the Wimbledon Tennis Championships traditionally herald the peak of strawberry season, with approximately 200,000 portions of strawberries and cream enjoyed by attendees, there's a unique pleasure in savouring home-grown strawberries picked fresh. Fortunately, growing your own strawberries isn't too tricky – even for beginners. The weather makes a difference 'The weather has been very kind to all growers,' says Jim Floor, managing director of berry growers Hall Hunter. 'We had a very cold February and March, then from April onwards it's been sunny – and strawberries love sunshine. 'The nights have been quite cool and the perfect environment for strawberries is 20 degree days and 10 degree nights.' Plenty of bees help If you have a garden with plenty of plants which attract pollinators, such as open-flowered geum, iberis, cranesbill geraniums, lavender and heathers, you're likely to get better crops because the bees will pollinate the strawberry flowers. For the biggest harvests… You'll need plenty of space for a strawberry patch if you want a huge crop, and will need to plant numerous plants. Alternatively, you can grow strawberries in pots but because of the limited number of plants you can accommodate, your yield may be limited. Many types produce new runners after flowering, which create new plantlets on their own. You can also plant different varieties of strawberries to extend the season – summer-fruiting types, perpetual strawberries which produce a smaller quantity of fruit from summer until autumn, and Alpine, or wild, strawberries, which bear small crops of tiny berries spasmodically during summer. Plug plants are a good bet and are available in garden centres and nurseries from late spring onwards, or alternatively you can buy bare-root plants, known as runners, which look like root clumps, in late summer or early autumn, and again in spring. Plant in full sun or in polytunnels where they will be warm and won't become damp, or if outside a raised bed or grow bag is a good option, Floor suggests. 'I grow them in a hanging basket (at home) because they tend to do much better if they're not (at ground level) in the soil, where there are lots of pests and diseases.' During the growing season, make sure they are fed and watered regularly. 'I would recommend a balanced multi-purpose liquid feed. 'If you want sweeter strawberries you might want to put more potassium in, but you need to be careful because any overfeeding of potassium, calcium or nitrogen could give you a problem. ' Calcium can burn the leaves, potassium could potentially kill the plants and (overfeeding with) nitrogen, you will get 100% leaves and no fruit. Possible problems Slugs are a threat, he warns. 'Last year because of the mild winter and the wet year the problem was slugs, particularly if you were growing strawberries in the ground. 'This year it's been about keeping everything irrigated. As long as the plants have plenty of water, they will do well.' Birds may also feast on the fruits, so it would be wise to cover your strawberries with netting if you need to keep them at bay. As the fruits emerge, place straw underneath them so the fruits don't brush against the ground and rot. When are they ready to pick? When they are evenly red, he says. 'They don't necessarily come off the stem quite easily. If the fruit comes off easily it may be over-ripe.' After fruiting 'De-leaf the plants a little bit, getting rid of the debris and dead leaves, and there's no reason why they couldn't be kept for another year,' he suggests. Good varieties Strawberries which have received the RHS Award of Garden Merit include 'Hapil', which produces large red fruits and is lauded for its vigorous growth and is well-suited to light or drier soils and to containers; and the late season 'Florence' which has 'exceptional disease resistance' and whose large dark red fruits are produced in mid-July.
