Move GCSE and A-levels to cooler months because of climate change: expert
She argued that hot school halls in June hinder student performance, citing a Met Office report that extreme weather is now considered the 'new normal' in Britain due to global warming.
The Met Office report indicates the UK's climate is notably different from previous decades, with the last three years ranking among the top five warmest on record.
Baroness Brown also advocated for the adoption of 'hot weather behaviours' and emphasised the critical need for the UK to develop a comprehensive heat strategy.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband acknowledged that Britain's way of life is 'under threat' from climate change, reiterating the government's commitment to addressing the crisis.
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The Sun
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- The Sun
How to keep your lawn from going brown and wilting this summer with a key job you must do this month
WE all love the warm days that come with the summer months and making the most of it by relaxing in our gardens. But we all know that too much hot weather can make our lawns look brown and brittle, ruining the scenery for those relaxing days. 2 And with another heatwave on the horizon in some places in the UK, you'll want to get your lawn prepped so it can withstand the weather. Lawns are especially prone to getting damaged in the sun, as they're one of the most exposed parts of the garden. But one expert says you can help to prevent wilting and browning this month by carrying out one important job this month. Landscaping expert at Wenningdale Escapes, John Marshall, has issued a warning to anyone with a lawn. The gardening pro says that heat stress from the hot sun could hugely damage the look of your garden. Yours might already be damaged from the previous heatwave, and with another potentially coming soon, it's vital to take action and eliminate any issues. He explained: "As we enter August and the weather continues to improve, your grass will become more susceptible to heat stress. "The signs you are looking for to identify this would include wilting or brown patches of grass, leaf burn, and visible footprints within the grass." John reveals that the most important thing that all gardeners should do in August is keep on top of the lawn watering. However, simple as it might sound, there's a right and wrong way to do it. We made our boring new build garden a Love Island style haven with bar & hot tub, but trolls say detail 'ruined our day' He recommends 'lots of water, but at early and late increments in the day when it's cooler'. That's because watering the lawn when the sun is at it's highest can prevent the water from reaching into the soil properly. Your grass will be much more hydrated with this technique, which should hopefully mean no brown or wilting patches this summer. The gardening whizz also urged gardeners not to mow their lawns too often this month, and increase the cutting height if possible. Very short grass is more exposed to the sun, so it's more likely to become damaged when the UV rays are strong, as they can stress out the plant and the soil too. If your lawn is just prone to getting stressed, then John has a solution. He said: "Using seaweed in the grass can help reduce the likelihood of stress and disease." Seaweed can help boost health, goodness and biological activity in your grass, and it'll also make the soil grow a stronger and greener lawn that is less susceptible to disease. You can buy liquid seaweed fertilisers from your local garden centre, or it's available to order online too. 2
Telegraph
7 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Storm Floris threatens travel chaos for Britain
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The Independent
36 minutes ago
- The Independent
Storm Floris map shows where heavy rain and winds are set to hit the UK
The UK is bracing for Storm Floris to hit on Monday, with northern England and Scotland set to be hit the hardest, with possible winds of up to 85mph. The Met Office has issued both yellow and amber wind warnings. The yellow warning covers Northern Ireland, north Wales, northern England, and parts of, where harsh winds are expected along the coasts. The meteorological body has also issued an amber warning for the northern Scottish mainland, where the hardest winds stand to pose a 'danger to life.' The yellow warning will be in force from 6am on Monday until midnight. Meanwhile, the amber warning will remain in effect from 10am to 10pm. Heavy rain is also expected, with transport disruption possible. Matthew Lehnert is a Met Office Chief Meteorologist. He said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.' Going into Tuesday, the Yellow warning will remain with the east of the warning area still expected to see strong winds; however, the gusts will first begin to ease to the west on late Monday. Flying debris may cause injuries and pose a danger to life in places inside the warning zone, the Met Office said. As could 'large waves and beach material being thrown on to sea fronts, coastal roads and properties', it added. It is possible tiles will be blown from roofs and there may be power cuts. The weather could also disrupt road, rail, air and ferry services, and close bridges. Storm Floris is the sixth storm to be named in the 2024 to 2025 season. The last named storm was Éowyn in January. The Met Office said that while it is more likely that named storms hit in late autumn and winter, they can happen in summer. It follows the driest spring in the UK for more than a century, as well as three heatwaves in quick succession. June was the warmest month since records began. The hot temperatures left swathes of the UK on hosepipe bans as farmers warned of potential food shortages after being forced to harvest their crops early to avoid damage. Last month was the UK's fifth warmest July on record, according to provisional figures from the Met Office. The mean average temperature across the month was 16.8C, ranking it behind 2006 (17.8C), 2018 (17.2C), 1983 (17.1C) and 2013 (17.0C). All four UK nations recorded one of their top 10 warmest Julys: Scotland and Northern Ireland saw their sixth warmest, England its seventh and Wales its tenth. Met Office temperature records begin in 1884. But July also brought increasingly wet and temperamental weather. On Thursday, parts of England were warned about the possibility of flash floods in the Midlands, South and East of England and London. Heavy rain proceeded to pummel parts of the south of England. Less than a week earlier, parts of the UK were enjoying highs of 28C. The weather should stay relatively dry over this weekend ahead of the storm. The latest Met Office update says there will only be 'small amounts of cloud'.
