JERSEY is set for another blast of hot weather – with temperatures expected to hit the high 20s this weekend.
The forecast of dry and sunny conditions comes following a torrential downpour on Monday night which saw 10.2mm of rain fall in just a few hours – almost three times the total recorded during the previous 35 days.
Temperatures are expected to slowly increase from today, with a plume of hot air from the continent pushing up over the Channel Islands during the weekend.
Despite the forecast of more dry weather, which follows a 25-day absolute drought which ended on Friday 9 June, Jersey Water says that reservoir levels are holding up well following a wetter-than-average winter and early spring.
Mark Bowden, the firm’s asset manager, said: ‘Reservoirs are just under 93% full, which is a good position to be in. We are roughly where we were last year.’
He added that they were ‘keeping an eye on things’ and that if there was no significant rainfall over the next month they would start to ‘consider additional measures’ and ‘ramping up messaging around water efficiency’.
Asked if there were any plans to reintroduce a hosepipe ban – brought into force last summer for the first time since 2003 – Mr Bowden said: ‘It’s too early to say. It’s not likely to be something we see fairly soon, but never say never.’
The UK Met Office, which issues longer-range forecasts on its website, says the generally dry conditions could last into July.
The forecast for the period of 24 June to 3 July states: ‘Temperatures are likely to be above average for many, and very warm to hot in central, southern and eastern areas.
‘Further into this period, it may generally turn slightly more unsettled. However, the north-west is likely to continue to see the most unsettled conditions, with rain and stronger winds at times, while the south-east is most likely to see the driest conditions, although the chance of heavy showers or thunderstorms cannot be ruled out here. Temperatures are most likely to remain above average for many.’
Hot, hot, hot…
Although forecasters do not link individual weather events to climate change, if the next two months prove to be hot and dry it will continue a pattern of increasingly warm summers which climatologist warn are likely to become ever more extreme.
Last summer was the warmest on record, beating the famously hot summer of 1976. The Island also had its hottest ever day (37.9°C on 18 July), its hottest June day (33.2°C on 17 June) and a new night-time record of 25.5°C on 19 July. Last summer also had eight days reaching at least 30°C – more than any other year since records began. Every month last year except for December was warmer than average, resulting in the warmest year on record.
