Summer has finally arrived in Wokingham – it’s hot today but it will be even hotter tomorrow as forecasters predict temperatures to hit 31ºC.
While much of the country will face thunderstorms and heavy rain tomorrow, the borough will bask in the sunshine.
Tonight will be warm and humid, with the minimum temperature expected to be a balmy 16ºC. A light breeze may provide some relief, but it will still be a sticky night for many of us.
Tuesday will be hot, humid and dry with strong sunshine expected for most of the day.
While the Met Office is saying 31ºC will be the score on Wokingham’s door, the mercury could fly higher and end up at 33ºC.
Temperatures overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday will also be hot: 24ºC will mean many of us will eschew winter duvets because of the heat.
But the Great British Summer won’t last long: the temperature will be a more manageable 27ºC on Wednesday. It will still be hot and sticky and that means there could be some strong thunderstorms during the day.
By Thursday it’s all back to normal, with temperatures heading closer to average: a cooler 21ºC.
On the trains in a heatwave
South West Trains are advising customers to take water with them on their journeys tomorrow. They also add that if you start to feel unwell due to the heat it is better to wait for the next station than to pull the emergency cord – it is easier to get help at a station than on the tracks.
Help from the NHS
The NHS has some advice on how to stay cool in a heatwave. CLICK HERE to read it.
Look after animals
PETA has issued some advice for taking care of pets during the summer heat.
Keep dogs indoors. Unlike humans, dogs can cool themselves only by panting and sweating through their paw pads. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress or permanent physical harm and even be fatal.
Provide water and shade. If animals must be left outside, they should be given ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
Walk, don’t run. In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling and making them run alongside the bike or by taking them running with you. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. A dog trapped inside a parked car can succumb to heatstroke within minutes – even when the car isn’t parked in direct sunlight. On a 26ºC day, the temperature inside a shaded car is 32ºC, and the inside of a vehicle parked in the sun can reach 70ºC.
If you see a dog in a car and in distress, take down the car’s colour, model, make and registration number; try to locate the owner if possible and call local animal authorities or police. Have someone keep an eye on the dog.
PETA add that if police are unresponsive or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will back your assessment of the situation, take steps to remove the suffering animal and then wait for authorities to arrive.
A dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke – such as restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy or lack of coordination – should be taken to a shady spot immediately.
Stabilise the dog’s temperature by providing water and applying a cold towel to the animal’s head and chest or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then take the animal to a vet.
