Gaza faces a man-made drought as water systems collapse, UNICEF says
"Children will begin to die of thirst ... Just 40% of drinking water production facilities remain functional," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters in Geneva.
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The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
UK sizzled in fifth warmest July on record
Last month was the UK's fifth warmest July on record, as long periods of hot weather saw parts of the country experience two heatwaves in quick succession. The mean average temperature across the month was 16.8C, according to provisional figures from the Met Office. This is slightly below the warmest July on record in 2006, when the average reached 17.8C, and is also behind 2018 (17.2C), 1983 (17.1C) and 2013 (17.0C). July was the sixth consecutive month of above-average mean temperatures for the UK and followed the warmest June on record for England and second warmest June for the country as a whole. The first day of July brought the hottest temperature of the year so far, with 35.8C measured in Faversham in Kent, and two separate heatwaves affected much of the UK in the first half of the month. The long spells of dry weather this year have already led to four areas being declared officially in drought: the East Midlands, north-west England, the West Midlands and Yorkshire. 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.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Foxton Locks closes to boats due to low water levels
The Foxton Locks have closed to boats due to low water a notice on its website the Canal & River Trust confirmed locks at the site near Market Harborough, Leicestershire, closed on comes after a drought was officially declared in the East Midlands earlier in the month, following England's driest start to a year since 1976. A spokesperson for the trust said Foxton Locks was still open to visitors with businesses at the site remaining open and a programme of summer events still going ahead. The Grade II listed site is set in 34 acres (14 hectares) and attracts more than 400,000 visitors a year, according to the trust. A spokesperson said the decision to shut the locks had "not been taken lightly" and followed "continued monitoring of the exceptionally dry weather". They added: "Our canal network is feeling the effects of one of the driest springs on record and several heatwaves already this summer. "Our charity's teams and volunteers have been working round the clock to manage water levels but, with insufficient rainfall and reservoir holdings dwindling, we've had to temporarily close Foxton Locks to boats. "This will help us maintain adequate levels of water to keep boats afloat, protect the wildlife that lives in the canal, and safeguard the canal infrastructure itself." The closure is place from Watford Lock 1 to Kings Lock 38 with a review of the ongoing situation expected on 29 August, according to the trust. Closing the locks will allow adequate water levels to be maintained to keep boats afloat, protect the wildlife in the canal and "safeguard the canal infrastructure", the charity could not be confirmed when exactly the locks would reopen but the charity said it would be "as soon as the water levels allow" and it needed "sustained rain" to top up the reservoirs."It's important to stress that Foxton Locks is still very much open for visitors looking for a day trip this summer," the spokesperson said."With two incredible feats of historic engineering, a canal museum, cafes, pubs and our programme of summer events about to get under way, we're very much looking forward to welcoming people over the summer."
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Yellow weather warnings for July thunderstorms that failed to materialise
Living in central Bedfordshire on the edge of East Anglia, now subject to a long drought, repeated Met Office yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms in July were welcome. The gardeners with empty water butts were positively enthusiastic. In a 10-day period when there were repeated yellow warnings, a large area of southern and eastern England was subject to an amber threat, with Leighton Buzzard firmly in the middle of the danger zone. To be fair it did rain during the amber alert – there were a series of small showers and one clap of thunder. Altogether, though, it was barely enough water to wet the parched ground. Watching the weather forecasts on both the ITN and BBC late news during that period, the track of the storms repeatedly differed on the maps displayed by the two channels by 50 miles, and as much as 100, across Bedfordshire, Cambridge and eastwards. It is clear that the forecasters were using different computer models and their summaries sensibly came with the warning 'do not take the track of these showers literally' – just as their maps showed the storms drifting over Bedfordshire. Finally when the warnings ceased it rained hard in the middle of the night, when the 'odd rogue shower' had been mentioned in passing. Relief at last.
