UK weather: Yellow warning for thunderstorms as heatwave intensifies
A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued by the Met Office - as a nationwide heatwave intensifies.
The Met Office alert is in force from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday.
Forecasters said: "The most intense thunderstorms could produce frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, along with some heavy downpours for a time."
The warning covers parts of the East and West Midlands, North East and North West of England, Wales and Yorkshire.
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Telegraph
33 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Eight ways to fireproof your garden in a heatwave
While we all love a British heatwave, our gardens can suffer without rain and, in especially high temperatures, can even become a fire hazard. Dry conditions coupled with long days of heat create the ideal circumstances for a blaze to start. Fire and rescue services in the UK reported an increase in incidents of 1 per cent at the end of September 2024, compared with the same time the year before. The Met Office predicts an increase in wildfires worldwide of 50 per cent by 2100. While there's no doubt that garden fires are becoming more of a concern in the UK, there are things you can do to minimise the risks and fireproof your garden. Choose plants wisely Most of us don't choose our plants with potential fires in mind, but there are some things worth considering, especially when a drought is approaching. 'Plants that can hold on to moisture, such as succulents, are less flammable than those with thin or dry leaves,' says Graham Smith, a gardening expert from gardening suppliers LBS Horticulture. 'These plants burn slower, and will not spread fire to other areas of your garden as quickly. You can still use plants that are highly flammable, but ensure that you are planting them a few feet away from your home to prevent the spread of fire as much as possible.' Give plants some space It's also important properly to space your plants apart from each other in your garden, so that if a fire does break out, it won't spread quickly from one plant to another. This is especially important if you have shrubs and trees. 'Avoid plants that grow densely,' says Andrew White, a gardening expert at Rhino Greenhouses, 'as once they begin to burn, you'll find the whole plant will quickly become engulfed and it could fuel a fire that could quickly become out of control.' Keep your lawn short and moist For most of the year in the UK, we don't need to worry about watering our established lawns, but in especially hot and dry weather, grass will need a helping hand. Don't be tempted to overwater; it's necessary to water your lawn only once or twice a week when there's no rain on the horizon, and it's better to give your lawn a good soaking infrequently than to water constantly. But far more important for fireproofing is to keep your grass short. 'Lawns can spread fire fast if they are not being maintained correctly,' says Smith. 'Tall or dry grass will catch fire quickly, and turn a small fire into a larger one. Keep your lawn short, and consider watering your grass during warm, dry weather, as a higher moisture content in the soil and grass blades can slow the spread of fire.' Place your barbecue in a safe spot Disposable barbecues cause havoc every year in hot weather and most outdoor leisure areas have visible warnings against using them because of the fire risk they pose. In your own back garden, using your barbecue is relatively safe, but where you decide to place it can be an important factor when it comes to the risk of a fire breaking out. Ensure your barbecue is placed on a flat surface, not on decking, and far away from sheds, trees and other plants. The type of barbecue you choose also has a bearing on your risk of fire breaking out. 'Hot and dry weather increases the risk of fires in your garden, and when pairing this with a coal barbecue, the risk of a fire breaking out in your garden increases massively,' says White. 'Where possible, use a gas one, or cook inside on particularly hot and dry days. This helps to minimise the risk of things in your garden catching fire.' If you do use a coal barbecue, make sure it's properly extinguished once you have finished cooking. Close the lid and all the vents on the bottom of the grill to cut off the oxygen supply to the coals. Use firepits safely The rise in popularity of firepits in our gardens over the past few years has largely been a positive one. Who doesn't love sitting around a fire, toasting marshmallows and stargazing? But it's important to use firepits safely. 'If you have a firepit in your garden, it should be surrounded by a non-flammable area made from gravel or concrete,' says Smith. 'Ensure that you have a garden hose nearby that can be used to extinguish flames quickly if needed. You should also avoid using wood or wicker furniture near a firepit, and opt for furniture made from non-flammable materials such as wrought iron or aluminium. If these furnishings have soft elements such as cushions or seat covers, these should be kept indoors if fire is a concern.' There are also some rules around using firepits that you need to follow. Don't burn household waste that can cause pollution, such as plastic, and watch where the smoke from your firepit is drifting: it can be a nuisance to neighbours and in some cases can be a hazard to traffic. Control your compost heap It's a rare occurrence, but in high temperatures a compost heap can spontaneously combust. Most fires in compost heaps start because the heap has a lot of dry leaves or even pieces of wood that have lain unmoved for some time. Compost heaps have damp innards that store heat, so it's important to manage them well. 'Compost piles can pose a fire risk, especially during hot weather,' says landscaper Simon Wilkinson, who is DSEAR-qualified (dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres regulations). 'Compost generates heat as it decomposes and it can catch fire, so keep it away from your home, shed and any other wooden structures, and turn it over regularly to prevent it from getting too hot.' Choose the right kind of mulch The same can be said for garden mulch. While it serves a good purpose and can keep weeds at bay, it can be flammable, and large piles of mulch can combust in the same way that compost can. 'Mulching is often used to retain soil moisture,' says Smith, 'but the moisture-retaining properties of the mulch can potentially have the opposite effect if you use a material such as woodchips or straw. Try to use alternative materials instead, such as gravel.' Consider your furniture and surfaces Glass tables on your patio look nice, but consider carefully any glass you have in your garden. 'Glass tables, bottles and drinking cups can act like magnifying glasses, concentrating sunlight. This can easily start a fire if the conditions are right,' says Wilkinson. 'One way to give yourself peace of mind is to use fireproof paint on your fencing, sheds and pergolas, which can massively reduce the ability of a fire to spread if one did break out.' The easiest way to reduce your risk of a garden fire is by minimising its spread, and your garden provides you with many opportunities to combine safety with style. 'Hardscaping can be used to landscape a garden,' says Smith, 'but it can also function as a firebreak. Gravel paths, paved patios and stone walls can slow or prevent the spread of fire without needing to compromise on the overall aesthetics of your garden.'
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
When Scotland will get 'very severe thunderstorms' during UK heatwave this weekend
The weather looks set to be scorching for most of us across the next few days, but there are concerns in some areas. The summer weather has finally arrived in June after a damp and dreary start to the month. Things are expected to heat u p over the next few days and Brits will be basking in sunshine this weekend. Some parts of the UK are expected to have an official heatwave, where they enjoy three consecutive days meeting or exceeding the temperature threshold for their area. But even with all this positivity, the Met Office has issued a worrying warning that things could turn ugly for some of us on Saturday evening, June 21. Far from enjoying all-round sunshine, parts of Scotland could be set for "very severe thunderstorms". Meteorologist Aidan McGivern made the prediction during his weekend weather update, where he said Scotland's southern regions could face "large thunderstorms, frequent lightning, large hail, heavy rain, and gusty winds" tomorrow. In a video posted on social media, Aidan spoke about the heatwave and the potential for some extreme weather. He said: "This Saturday is the Summer Solstice; peak sun strength. But also, in eastern parts of the UK, peak heatwave, with fresher air arriving through the day from the west. "But as that fresher air collides with the plume of heat coming up from the south, we're likely to see some very severe thunderstorms in places." The weather expert said that Friday's heat could lead to "an uncomfortable night for sleeping for many of us" and that temperatures would rise "quickly" on Saturday with "widespread warmth" and sunny skies, particularly in the east. However, there is the likelihood of scattered showers for Scotland tomorrow morning. Aidan said: "We're already seeing additional cloud and some sporadic showers breaking out across Scotland, western England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These will be very hit and miss through the day. "The odd rumble of thunder is possible with some of these showers but the main activity is likely to come towards the end of the afternoon and to the evening." He continued: "Very hit and miss showers but by the end of the day we are concerned about all the ingredients coming together to provide the set up for some severe thunderstorms. "And the main focus region at the moment is across the central site of the UK; north Wales, north Midlands, northern England, southern Scotland. "That's where there is the greatest risk of very large thunderstorms, frequent lightning, large hail, heavy rain, gusty winds for a few hours on Saturday late afternoon and into the evening. "If this comes off - because all the ingredients are in the right place, but it's at the moment too early to say exactly when and where - then it would cause considerable impacts." But it wasn't all doom and gloom, as parts of the UK should see temperatures breaking the 30C barrier before the clouds burst on Saturday. Aidan said: "Ahead of any shower development and cloud development, we're likely to see temperatures peak across eastern parts of England, the Midlands, into north east England, south east Scotland - high 20s, low 30s widely, perhaps as high as 33C. Or, if all the right conditions come together, 34C." He added: "But western areas are more likely to see the peak temperatures on Friday because, at this stage, fresher air is starting to make inroads, hence the patchy cloud and those sporadic showers breaking out as the day progresses. And, unfortunately, the overnight head could mean a second disrupted sleep in a row for many of us. The meteorologist said: "We keep the plume of warm and increasingly humid air across eastern parts of the UK on Saturday night, so another uncomfortable night for sleeping in the east, perhaps a little more comfortable towards the west as that Atlantic air returns." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Looking ahead to Sunday, there will be a bit of an east-west split in terms of the top temperatures. Aidan said: "[There is] a temperature contrast by the time we get to Sunday with that return to average towards the west, but we keep the warmth in the east and the potential for more sunny skies on Sunday." And, even with temperatures expected to be in the high teens for much of Scotland on Sunday, it won't be without its wet weather. Aidan said to expect "some showers, particularly across Scotland, Northern Ireland, north west England, and North Wales." And he revealed that there may be more thunderstorms to come too, but "not as severe as Saturday night's potential thunderstorms."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Live tracker reveals where 100m Americans will roast under 'heat dome' starting TODAY
More than 100 million Americans from the Central Plains to the Northeast are bracing for a powerful heat dome that will bring extreme temperatures through next week. A heat dome, a high-pressure system that traps hot air and blocks cooler air, is driving prolonged heat waves across the US. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that on Friday, temperatures in central states like Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois will climb to the upper 90s to low 100s°F, with heat indices exceeding 105°F due to high humidity. Cities like Omaha, Topeka, and Kansas City face excessive heat warnings, signaling serious health risks for those without adequate cooling or hydration. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are also sweltering, with highs in the low to mid-90s°F and heat indices nearing 100°F. Minneapolis is among the cities under heat advisories. Over the weekend, the heat dome will shift eastward, intensifying heat in the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. On Saturday, New York City will reach the low 90s°F, with heat indices near 100°F due to humid Atlantic air. By Sunday, Boston and Philadelphia are forecast to hit the mid-90s°F, with heat indices up to 104°F. The NWS urges residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces, avoid direct sunlight, and check on vulnerable neighbors. Cooling centers are opening in cities like New York and Philadelphia to provide relief. A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir that traps heat and humidity, said Ricky Castro, a NWS meteorologist in Illinois. AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Duffus warned: 'From Monday to Wednesday, the Northeast will face dangerous heat, with widespread highs in the 90s and some areas nearing 100°F, spiking energy demands and requiring limited exposure.' The heat dome will peak on Monday, June 23, with the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and New England at 'high risk' of extreme heat, potentially straining power grids. Tom Kines, a meteorologist at AccuWeather, said: 'A lot of those folks have been saying, where's summer? Well, buckle up, because it's coming.' With limited days of warmth over much of the northern Plains, Midwest and Northeast so far this year, the surging heat could catch people off guard as it will be accompanied by some of the most intense sunshine of the year along with high humidity levels. With sweltering humidity and relentless daytime heat, many urban areas are expected to see little relief overnight. Temperatures will briefly dip into the 70s before climbing again, making it difficult for those without air conditioning to cool down or recover, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Danielle Ehresman. The intense conditions will likely drive up energy demand and significantly increase the risk of heat-related illness. AccuWeather warns that RealFeel® Temperatures could soar 5 to 15 degrees higher than actual readings, topping 100°F in many regions, even where the official highs remain in the 90s. Residents are urged to limit outdoor activity during the midday and afternoon hours when the heat will be at its most oppressive. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said: 'The magnitude and longevity of this heat wave will be a shock to the system.' Doctors urge the public to take excessive heat warnings seriously, as extreme temperatures pose a significant health risk. Each year, more than 700 people in the US die from heat-related illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Fifth National Climate Assessment identifies extreme heat as the deadliest weather-related hazard in the country.
