We are in the midst of a heatwave and though its the school holidays, it makes for a great case study for A2...
You can see a Q and A transcript from the BBC weather team
here.
Try the BBC Heatwave Quiz
here. (Can you beat Mr Gracie who got 5/7?)
Wednesday 17th saw temperatures rise up to 32.2 degrees in places which moved the UK up to a level 3 warning. Ths video gives an overview of this weather.
What are the Causes of it?
The Causes and why warnings are issued are explained
HERE. It is a result of a blocking anticyclone
This
video explains how long it may last and why
What makes a heatwave?
What are the effects of it?
Numbers of
grass fires have increased - The London fire brigade have been tackling 21 grass fires a day compared to 5 a day last year.
Ambulance Callouts are up too
Its predicted to have claimed up to 760 lives
Negative effects may be enhanced by us being ill prepared as explained
here.
Positively - the hot weather increases natural sugar levels in grapes improving the
2013 UK wine vintage
Some holiday parks have reported bookings have much improved - so the UK tourist industry has received a boost.
This
outdoor pool in Leicestershire for example has seen numbers swell.
How have we responded?
There are national warnings as mentioned above, mostly given by the
Met Office. An example of the
NHS health warnings
There are lots of public health warnings going out to givwe advice on how to respond
This
video explains who is most at risk and how to respond
Various media outlets have also given their own advice such as this
BBC one.
