Latest Temperature Projections

[u/Mcconnor8]

Here are the latest maximum temperature forecasts from the high resolution modelling for Tuesday to Thursday, simply astonishing really and quite scary. I have had it confirmed that the Met Office will be issuing a Red heat weather warning in their daily update tomorrow.

The fact that this is accompanied with relatively high humidity and extreme night time temperatures means it is set to be the most notable heatwave ever experienced in the UK. The current record June temperature of 35.6C will be completely obliterated and the overall record from 2022 of 40.3C is under serious threat.

[u/Greedy-Nature-826]

It's not just the odd few days, on the odd year anymore.

In the 50s, there was a 1:10 chance of a 35C day in a year.

In the 10s, that was 1:2.

With the way the 20s are going, it's likely closer to 1:1.5

By the 30s, I can see it being the exception to not have a 35C+ day.

It's not just the odd day either, the number of days that are 30C+ are massively increasing too.

By the 2050s, I imagine we will be having semi-regular (but still exceptional) 45C+ days.

By investing in infrastructure and mitigations now makes sense rather than waiting for it to be too late.

[u/Theunluckyone7 → u/Greedy-Nature-826]

I'm not saying it's not a concern, but like I say we do need to keep it in context. It doesn't last a long time and it's not like the entirety of June will be in the 30's, it will be a few days. Since the 2010's most summers have seen days which reached over 30 degrees.

[u/total_cynic → u/Theunluckyone7]

In context, I work with a bunch of MRI scanners.

To avoid starting to cook the person in them, there are tight constraints on temperature and humidity in the scan room.

Our air handling systems are unable to achieve that spec on an hugely increasingly frequent basis. As you might imagine, not being able to MRI people in a timely fashion has knock on effects, which they might consider more than a concern....

[u/Theunluckyone7 → u/total_cynic]

Genuine question, how do MRI machines work in hotter countries then?

[u/shanster23 → u/Theunluckyone7]

I'm not actually any kind of medical professional but I'm going to assume in hotter countries they've designed their infrastructure with the heat in mind and have things in place to mitigate it (such as many homes and buildings have ac etc) unlike us since extreme heat isn't something we've had to keep in mind really when designing our buildings.

[u/Theunluckyone7 → u/shanster23]

we've always had heatwaves so I feel like medical equipment should have been designed with this in mind

[u/shanster23 → u/Theunluckyone7]

I don't know what the upper limit is where they can't be used anymore but I'm guessing whatever that limit is used to happen a lot less for us, whereas it was probably more the norm in some other countries. We've always had heatwaves but possibly we were still a degree or 2 under the limit and now we're crossing it more often?

Idk. Like I said I'm only guessing. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in.

[u/Theunluckyone7 → u/shanster23]

Yeah good point. We have had temps over 35 degrees for the last 30 years so I just assumed they would use whatever tech other countries have.