Is this the new normal? Last month was the UK's hottest June on record. Weather experts say climate change is to blame.
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Hottest June on record killed plants and fish
Is this the new normal? Last month was the UK's hottest June on record. Weather experts say climate change is to blame.
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What's happening?
Billy Bland was staring at a riverbed without water. He is 76 years old and has lived near the River DerwentA river in Derbyshire, England. all his life. "This dry spell is earlier and longer than I can remember," he said.
ExpertsSomeone who knows a lot about a particular subject. say it is third year in a row that large parts of the river have dried out. This is bad news for the wildlife that lives there. Normally, the area is very wet.
Very hot weather can kill the fish that normally live in the river. But it can also harm insects that live in the water and the otters and birds that hunt and swim there.
Plants and insects are also in trouble. Flowers dry out, so there is less nectarA sugary fluid within flowers to encourage pollination by insects and other animals, collected by bees to make into honey. and pollenA fine powder produced by flowers that fertilises other flowers. for bees and butterflies to eat.
Weather experts from the UK's Met OfficeThe Meteorological Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It was established in 1854 to provide a gale warning service for shipping. say that the chance of June being hotter than ever before had at least doubled since the 1940s.
Over half of Europe has face extreme droughts in both summer and winter since 2018. Droughts cost a lot of money and also make wildfires more likely.
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Hot weather can also be dangerous for humans. Old people and those who live in cities are the most at risk.
But there are things we can do to lower the risk. One is to increase the number of trees and lakes in cities. Farmers can also grow different cropsPlants that are grown on a large scale by farmers, such as vegetables, fruits and wheat. and plant them at different times.
Is this the new normal?
Yes! Weather experts say heatwaves are happening more often in Europe. And when they do happen, they are worse than before.
No! Weather is something that naturally changes a lot. Cooler summers are possible too. And not all hot weather is caused by climate changeLong-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human action is a major cause of climate change..
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Keywords
River Derwent - A river in Derbyshire, England.
Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.
Nectar - A sugary fluid within flowers to encourage pollination by insects and other animals, collected by bees to make into honey.
Pollen - A fine powder produced by flowers that fertilises other flowers.
Met Office - The Meteorological Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It was established in 1854 to provide a gale warning service for shipping.
Crops - Plants that are grown on a large scale by farmers, such as vegetables, fruits and wheat.
Climate change - Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human action is a major cause of climate change.
Hottest June on record killed plants and fish
Heat defeat: Until this year, 1940 and 1976 held the record, with an average of 14.9C. Glossary
River Derwent - A river in Derbyshire, England.
Experts - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.
Nectar - A sugary fluid within flowers to encourage pollination by insects and other animals, collected by bees to make into honey.
Pollen - A fine powder produced by flowers that fertilises other flowers.
Met Office - The Meteorological Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It was established in 1854 to provide a gale warning service for shipping.
Crops - Plants that are grown on a large scale by farmers, such as vegetables, fruits and wheat.
Climate change - Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human action is a major cause of climate change.