Households across the UK are being urged to put bowls of water on windowsills until Monday as highs of 33C are forecast to scorch the UK again between Friday and Monday. After what felt like an endless period of wet and unsettled weather, the forecast is looking much more promising over the weekend, with Friday kicking off a rise in temperatures.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has put a heat health alert in place until Monday, and the Met Office has urged Brits to be aware of heatwave conditions between Friday and Monday as temperatures rise from 30C all the way to a possible 33C, especially in the south of England.
Met Office Forecast
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This week’s weather reflects a contrast we often see in summer, with more unsettled conditions passing to the northwest of the UK while heat builds in the south and east. As we move towards the weekend, we’ll see conditions become more widely settled and temperatures rise all round. Many parts of southern and eastern England are likely to see temperatures high enough to meet heatwave thresholds.”
He added: “It’s important to note that while temperatures may be high, we might not all see the wall-to-wall sunshine and blue skies we experienced back in May because there is more cloud around. There is also a chance of thunderstorms developing in places, particularly later each day, which could bring heavy showers and localised impacts.”
The Met Office said headline maximum temperatures for the period are: 32°C on Friday in East Anglia, 28°C on Saturday as the warmest air temporarily shifts away from the UK, 32°C in the south and southeast of England on Sunday, and the potential for 33°C in the same areas on Monday as warm conditions build again from the south.
Cooling Your Home Naturally
With warm weather on the forecast, it means facing a battle to keep your home cool, or you could find yourself facing a restless and uncomfortable night’s sleep in the stuffy conditions. But as the majority of homes in the UK are designed to lock in warmth, cooling rooms down quickly is often easier said than done if you aren’t lucky enough to have air conditioning.
Luckily though, there is a very simple and cost-effective solution to tackle this problem, and it simply requires a bowl of cold water. Energy experts recommend placing bowls of cold water around your home, such as on windowsills or worktops, during bouts of warm weather, as this can be surprisingly effective in cooling hot air.
How It Works
A bowl of water – or ice cubes if you have any – can help cool a room as the water absorbs heat from the air and turns it into vapour, which then lowers the overall air temperature in your home. LEAP Energy Advice said: “Although it may seem peculiar, placing bowls of water around the house can aid in cooling the hot air. This simple technique can be surprisingly effective!”
This method of cooling is especially effective when the bowl of water, or ice, is placed near an open window or in front of a fan, as the breeze helps to circulate cold air into your home.
DIY Air Conditioner
LEAP added: “If you need to cool down quickly, try placing a bowl of ice and cold water in front of your fan’s blades. This will cause the air blowing from the fan to pass over the icy water, creating a refreshing sensation on your skin. It’s like having a homemade, DIY air-conditioner!”
Using a fan in combination with the bowl of water isn't essential, as the water alone can help to cool the air, but you'll get better results if you can get that breeze going as well. Of course, running a fan will have an impact on your energy bills, but it's a fraction of the cost compared to running an air conditioner, which can cost up to 40 times as much, so the pay-off of a refreshingly cool room is arguably worth it.
Backed by British Gas
The tip is backed up by major energy supplier British Gas as a low-cost way to keep your home, and yourself, cool when temperatures warm up. British Gas said: "While fans aren’t the most expensive appliance to run, using one is still likely to impact your fuel bills - but there are some things you can do to get the most out of the energy you’re paying for."
"To really cool down a room with a fan, place a deep dish of ice in the front of it to whip up the water mist and chill the breeze. You can also point a box fan out of an open window in the evenings – this pushes the hot air out instead of just blowing it around the room."
