On Monday, parts of the country experienced their highest-ever recorded May temperatures, with the mercury soaring to a record 34.8C in Kew Gardens. It’s expected to get even hotter on Tuesday, with some weather forecasts predicting highs of 36C in the city.
Tropical night
Met Office
And there wasn’t much reprieve overnight either.
The temperature did not fall below 21.3C overnight at Kenley Airfield, south London, making it a “tropical night”, the Met Office said.
It’s predicted that the country will face an increasing number of tropical nights in the coming years, as we brace for more extreme weather due to climate change.
So what exactly is a tropical night – and what’s the best way to get through it?
What is a tropical night?
To put it simply, a tropical night is the name given to a night when the temperature doesn’t drop below 20C.
According to the Met Office: “While often associated with warmer climates, recent studies show that the UK is now seeing more frequent occurrences of these events, particularly during heatwaves.”
In the UK, tropical nights have become more common in the last few years. And in 2022, the country recorded three tropical nights in a row, marking a new milestone in UK weather.
While many people live comfortably with tropical nights, the issue is that not all UK houses are well equipped for high temperatures. Those living in poorly ventilated homes without air conditioning may find sleeping very hard unless they have a fan.
These tropical nights also pose considerable health risks, as people may struggle to regulate their body temperature, which can lead to cardiovascular stress.
According to the Met Office: “Studies have shown that high nighttime temperatures are linked to increased mortality, particularly among older adults and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
Will they become more common in the UK?
We are definitely going to see tropical nights more often in the UK because man-made climate change is accelerating the extreme warming of our planet.
A Met Office study found that the chances of the UK experiencing three consecutive tropical nights “have increased significantly” and that the probability of that sits around 20% per year.
Experts warned that adaptation strategies will be vital in the future, especially in buildings that tend to retain heat overnight. The UK should work towards improving building ventilation and supporting vulnerable communities.
In order to get a good night’s sleep during the warmest nights of the year, it’s important you try to make your sleeping setup as comfortable as possible.
Unfortunately, only 5% of homes in the UK are thought to have air conditioning, so you’ll probably have to think of more creative ways to stay cool.
Aside from investing in a fan and keeping a glass of water by your bed, here are some added tips that can help you get through the sweltering nights.
- Keep your windows and bedroom door open to encourage air flow through the room, which enhances ventilation.
- Swap a duvet for a light cotton sheet.
- Consider bamboo or silk pyjamas, which are thought to have a cooling effect.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and taking cold showers just before bed, which can actually be counterproductive.
- If you wake up sweating, consider getting up and cooling down in a different location before going back to bed.
- Consider sleeping on a cold, damp towel.
- Fill a hot water bottle with cold water and use it to cool down.
