Latest news with #OliverClaydon
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Mapped: UK weather to see off bank holiday rain with temperatures to soar up to 25C
A Caribbean jetstream is set to see temperatures rise across the country, ending the UK's bank holiday washout. The South East may even see up to 25C by the end of half-term week, according to a Met Office forecast. Weather maps show a Caribbean jet stream sweeping across Britain, triggering a 48-hour spell of summer weather warmer than parts of Greece, Morocco and southern Italy. London will even be hotter than Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, and Palermo in Sicily on Friday. But Met Office spokesperson Oliver Claydon told The Independent that the burst of warm weather doesn't quite reach the forecaster's criteria for a heatwave. He said: 'Temperatures this week will fluctuate as weather systems move across the UK, bringing wet and windy weather at times, interspersed by warmer spells of sunshine. 'Temperatures could reach highs of 25C in the south on Friday and Saturday, while remaining a little cooler further north with temperatures reaching the high teens, possibly low 20Cs. 'There is a possibility as we head into June and through the latter part of next week that we could see higher pressure moving in and with it higher temperatures in the south, but at this stage, there is fairly low confidence in the extended outlook.' He added: 'Temperatures in the mid to high 20s are not unusual for late May and early June. Additionally, any period of higher temperatures is more likely to be fairly short-lived.' Temperatures are predicted to return to normal by Monday, but could rise again by Tuesday 3 June. The Met Office's long-range forecast warns of strong winds and thunderstorms in that period. It reads: 'Strong winds may also develop at times, particularly in the North and North West. 'With time, the signs are that systems will increasingly track to the northwest of the country, with the South probably starting to see longer, drier interludes while the North West continues to see more in the way of rain and at times strong winds. 'Temperatures are expected to be around normal overall, but will be cooler in any prolonged periods of rainfall. Meanwhile, there is the possibility of some very warm, perhaps hot conditions developing, especially in the South, and these bring with them the chance of thunderstorms.' It came as April 2025 was declared the sunniest since records began in 1910. This followed the third-sunniest March, and both months saw temperatures well above average nationwide. On 1 May, the temperature reached 29.3C in Kew Gardens in London – a new record for the date. Meteorologists are warning of the potential for a summer drought, as the UK has seen roughly half its usual amount of rainfall for March and April. While farmers are concerned about this year's harvest, some water companies are urging customers to help reservoir levels recover by limiting water use.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
UK on track for driest spring on record as temperatures to hit 25C this week
The UK is heading for the driest spring on record with warnings of a drought as some parts of the country experience the driest start to the year for nearly a century. According to the Met Office, the dry weather is expected to continue across the UK for at least another 10 days with temperatures set to reach 25C. Highs of 24C are expected in London on Wednesday, followed by days of warm weather in the early twenties, while Glasgow and Edinburgh can expect the mercury to hit 22 degrees over the weekend. Asked if the weather was unusual for this time of year, Met Office spokesperson Oliver Claydon told The Independent: 'It is a notably prolonged spell of settled and dry weather. 'There is a chance of isolated showers in the far south-west of England this afternoon but they won't be as widespread as they were yesterday. 'That theme continues going into next week, high pressure remaining in place and bringing fine settled and dry conditions with little in the way of meaningful rainfall in the UK. 'The next sign of any meaningful rain is the end of next week where we might see more unsettled conditions moving in from the west.' Millions of households are being warned of the risk of water restrictions, as the Environment Agency has warned of a 'medium' risk of drought in England this summer without sustained rainfall, after the country experienced its driest start to spring in 61 years. The regulator has said there are currently no hosepipe bans planned, but warned water companies might have to implement measures including restrictions in the months ahead. Figures covering spring so far – 1 March to 11 May – also show that south-east England recorded only 34.9mm of rain in this period, the fourth lowest total since daily data began in 1931, while north-east England saw 39.5mm from 1 March to 11 May this year – the lowest since 1938. Meanwhile, wildfires have engulfed forest and moorland in areas of Scotland, Wales and England. Environment Agency deputy director of water, Richard Thompson, said: 'The changing climate means we will see more summer droughts in the coming decades. 'The last two years were some of the wettest on record for England but drier conditions at the start of this year mean a drought is a possibility and we need to be prepared. 'It's heartening to see more people looking to reduce their water use and we expect water companies to do more to cut leakage and roll out smart meters.' What is the five day weather forecast? Today: Dry, sunny, and warm for many today. Southwestern England will have sunny spells with afternoon showers, possibly heavy with thunder. Low cloud near North Sea coasts will move south. Warm in sunshine, cooler along eastern coasts with a breeze. Tonight: Dry with long clear spells, low cloud with some patchy mist developing near some North Seas coastal areas, and this spreading into parts of the Midlands. Cooler than recent nights. Thursday: Largely dry, warm, and sunny. Any low cloud will lift and break but may linger around eastern coastal counties at times, where it will feel cooler with an onshore breeze. Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Remaining settled and largely dry, warm and sunny. Low cloud will linger around some eastern coastal counties at times, where it will feel cooler with an onshore breeze.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
UK breaks worrying wildfire record: 113 sq miles of land has already been burnt this year - due to unusually dry spring conditions
The amount of UK land burnt by wildfires has already smashed the all-time record, just four months into the year. Since the start of 2025, more than 113 square miles (292 square km or 29,200 hectares) of land has been consumed by fires raging across the country. That is already greater than the previous record of 108 square miles (281 square km) burnt throughout the entirety of 2019, according to data collected by Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) since 2012. And experts warn that the worst could still be yet to come. Although wildfires are common during early spring, the number of fires in some parts of the country has been up over 1,200 per cent. According to experts, the UK's record-breaking blazes have been driven by an exceptionally hot and dry March and April, likely linked with climate change. Oliver Claydon, a spokesperson for the Met Office, told MailOnline: 'During dry Springs, there is an elevated chance of wildfire outbreaks in grassland and heather heaths. 'This is often due to the presence of dead undergrowth from the previous year, together with a lack of new plant growth that might otherwise impede the ignition and spread of fires.' This year, several parts of the UK have been struck by unusually large wildfires. The most devastating period, according to GWIS data, was the seven-day stretch from April 2 to April 8 in which over 69 square miles (180 square km) of land was burnt. The largest blazes have occurred in the Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland, and parts of Wales. A fire in the Galloway Forest Park, located in south-west Scotland, destroyed 25 square miles (65 square km) according to BBC analysis. Likewise, a fire just 16 miles (25km) from Aberystwyth destroyed roughly 20 square miles (50 square km). Meanwhile, Abergwesyn Common in Powys, Wales was struck by a fire which burnt a further six square miles (16 km square). Although most fires are started by humans, either deliberately or accidentally, natural conditions make it easier for fires to ignite and spread. The Met Office says that this year's fires are the product of a wet autumn followed by a warm and dry spring. The Met Office says that last March was the sunniest since records began in 1910 (illustrated left) while the UK only received 43 per cent of the average rainfall for the month (illustrated right) Mr Claydon says: 'We had an exceptionally dry and sunny March, this followed quite a wet autumn and winter which can have the effect of increasing the vegetation that acts as fuel for any fire that does start.' According to the Met Office data, this March was the sunniest since records began in 1910, with some areas of Wales and England getting 150 per cent of the average sunshine. The month was also exceptionally dry, with the UK receiving just 43 per cent of its average rainfall for March. These conditions led to the fire risk for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and parts of Scotland being escalated to 'severe' by the start of April. Researchers warn that the conditions for dangerous fires are becoming more common as human-caused climate change continues to disrupt the climate. Mr Claydon says: 'Current climate change projections suggest that we are likely to see an increase in the conditions needed for wildfire across the UK as temperatures increase, and spells of low rainfall become more common.' Research conducted by the Met Office found that the damaging fires during the UK's record-breaking 2022 heatwave were made at least six times more likely due to human-caused climate change Although the recent bout of wet weather has largely brought this month's blazes to an end, the UK's wildfire woes are far from over. The peak of wildfire season typically comes later in the year when the warm weather has dried out the vegetation again. 'We are of course still in spring, but further dry, warm and breezy spells could again increase the wildfire risk through summer,' says Mr Clayton. He adds that it is 'too far ahead to make any predictions for the summer ahead at this stage'. Yet the UK's record-breaking spring has led some experts to worry that the worst may be yet to come. Likewise, Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science at Imperial College London, told the BBC: 'My number one worry is what is going to happen in the summer. 'There are fewer wildfires but they are bigger and they can actually be seriously catastrophic. 'You can have 100 [small] wildfires across the whole country and all of them can be handled in one day, or you could have one summer wildfire that actually cannot be stopped in a week and actually goes on to burn houses.' The increased wildfire risk means there will be more pressure on the UK's already stretched firefighting services. A spokesperson for the National Fire Chiefs Council told MailOnline: 'So far this year, we have experienced more than double the number of wildfires we saw for the same period in 2022 – which went on to be a record year for wildfires. 'It is early days yet, but if we continue to have warm weather and rising wildfire numbers, then we could surpass what we saw in 2022. 'One inconsiderate action or small mistake can lead to a significant wildfire. 'So we are asking that people take that extra care to prevent wildfires, including by avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks and moorland areas, and by not discarding cigarettes, matches or glass bottles that could ignite dry vegetation.' HOW ARE WILDFIRES STARTED? The 'Thomas Fire' destroyed 281,893 acres in California in December 2017. Additionally, British Columbia's Nazko Complex Fire last year consumed more than a million acres, making it the largest ever recorded in the province. But the amount of land destroyed by wildfires each year will only go up in western and northern North America in the years to come, according to a new report published in the journal Plos One. Up to 90 percent of US wildfires are caused by people, according to the Insurance Information Institute. These fires can be initiated by unattended campfires, piles of burning debris, haphazardly discarded cigarettes or arson.
