Met Office: UK on course for 'more frequent' heatwaves

LONDON, July 27 ------ The extreme heat experienced by the UK in 2022 will become more frequent and intense because of climate change, Britain's Meteorological Office warned in a new study released Thursday.

The country crossed the 40 degrees Celsius threshold last year for the first time during an "unprecedented heatwave". "The chances of an event like this is really likely to increase rapidly," said Mark Kendon, lead author of the State of UK Climate 2022 report. The record temperature of 40.3 degrees Celsius and 2022 being a record warm year overall "were made more likely by human-induced climate change", the report added.

Last year's UK heatwave resulted in excessive deaths, wildfires, and the destruction of homes, as the government declared a national emergency. The report found that nearly one in every four months over the last decade fell within the top ten warmest ever recorded. Just last month, the UK experienced the warmest June on record. "All of these (events) are fitting into a pattern and we are seeing more frequent heatwaves, more intense heatwaves, and longer lasting heatwaves," Kendon said.

Source: channelnewsasia.com