Households in England and across the UK are being urged to close their windows, as well as curtains and blinds, from today until Thursday.
Temperatures have already sharply risen today and the Met Office is now forecasting a scorching 33C on Monday, with temperatures set to stay high until Thursday, and England will see the hottest weather of all.
After a few days’ respite from the baking weather conditions, the sunshine is returning in earnest today and is set to peak on Monday before finally cooling off again on Thursday.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Dan Holley, said: “We expect to see a relatively brief hotter and more humid spell of weather for Sunday and Monday. This change to hotter conditions is caused, in part, by the effects of Tropical Storm Debby in North America. Debby is helping to strengthen the jet stream, causing it to meander over the Atlantic. This will allow hot air over France to move into the UK later this weekend, and early next week.
“The highest temperatures are expected in parts of central, east and southeast England, peaking on Monday with maxima over 30°C widely and possibly 33-34°C in some places. This will be accompanied by some high nighttime temperatures and humidity, especially on Sunday night in southern and western areas.”
Homes across England in particular will be baking hot as summer sunshine cooks us in our well insulated buildings built to withstand the cold British winters rather than 30C-plus summer sun for extended periods.
Temperatures in England will hit 28C on Sunday and peak at 34C on Monday, the Met Office warned.
It means that households in England or Wales are being told they should still take steps to keep their house cool in the sunshine.
And one way of doing so is to close windows and curtains or blinds in the sunniest conditions, and tactically open windows in shaded areas and open all your windows again in the evening, when outside air temperatures are lower.
Energy firm OVO says: “Tempting as it is to fling open the windows at the first sign of summer, it’s not actually the best idea. To keep your house cool, you need to keep the hot air out. This means keeping windows closed during the day – particularly south-facing windows. Keep curtains, blinds and windows shut when the sun is shining directly on them, and when you’re out. Try opening windows on the most shaded side of your home, to avoid sunlight and hot air getting in.”
According to the advice from heating professionals at BOXT, many commonly believed cooling techniques might not only be ineffective but could also hit your wallet hard.
Andy Kerr, the founder of BOXT, explains: “Getting rid of unwanted heat in your home can be difficult in the summer months, especially when most UK properties are built to retain heat. While grabbing a fan or opening up all your windows are often mentioned as effective ways to cool your home, these methods may not result in the desired results.”
He added: “To help homeowners keep cool as the warmer months approach, we have revealed which common home cooling hacks are myths and why they don’t work so you can avoid them this summer.
“When temperatures are particularly warm, opening up all your windows will let more hot air into your home, heating up your home and making you feel warmer.”
“Instead of opening all your windows, it is much better to strategically open windows to create cross breezes throughout the day and open your windows during the night to let cooler air in.”
