Climate change: Heatwave temperature threshold raised in England by Met Office

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There is a heatwave in several areas of England.

The Met Office defines a heatwave as when an area experiences daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding a certain level for three days in a row.

The limits were raised by the forecaster.

Climate data showed that the UK was warming with increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

• 28C (82F) in Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire
• 27C (81F) in Lincolnshire
• and 26C (79F) in the East Riding of Yorkshire

Historical climate data is used to define a heatwave. Global warming has caused the UK to experience rising average temperatures.

The Met Office said that the new limits are based on the period between 1991 and 2020.

In the UK, the Met Office has a temperature range between 25C to 28C, with London having a limit of 28C.

Many central areas have a threshold of 26C, while most South East counties have a threshold of 27C.

All of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are under a 25C threshold.

Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, said that climate statistics over time have revealed a warming trend for the UK.

In parts of central and eastern England, temperatures have increased by more than 1.0C, while further north areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen temperatures rise by closer to 0.7C.

Climate change is making heatwaves more likely, according to Dr McCarthy.

The scientist said that the Met Office study showed that the likelihood of a heatwave is 30 times higher than in the past.

A key driver of global warming is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is a by-product of burning fossil fuels.

Climate change will cause mass extinction of species, with worsening droughts and sea level rise.

As greenhouse gas concentrations increase, heatwaves of similar intensity are projected to become even more frequent.

The UK Health Security Agency's heat-health alert, which is issued for England only, is designed to highlight the effects of high temperatures on the body, as well as the Met Office's extreme heat warnings, which highlight very high temperatures to help protect lives and

After launching them a month before, the forecasters issued some of the new extreme heat weather warnings, similar to those it uses for storms, floods and other extreme weather events.

New Year's Eve last year and New Year's Day this year both saw record temperatures.

There was an increase in deaths when the UK experienced a heat wave in the summer of 2019.