Heatwave UK: what are ‘tropical nights’? The draining heatwave phenomenon to prepare for this week

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Heatwave UK: what are ‘tropical nights’? The draining heatwave phenomenon to prepare for this week

By Lauren Geall

3 years ago

1 min read

With high temperatures predicted over the next couple of days, here’s everything you need to know about ‘tropical nights’ – the potentially dangerous heatwave phenomenon that could make an appearance this week.

From the Met Office’s decision to issue a red extreme heat warning to Transport for London’s advice to only make ‘essential journeys,’ the last couple of days have seen the headlines dominated by expert advice ahead of this week’s heatwave.

Current forecasts suggest temperatures could surpass 40°C in London on Monday or Tuesday, with areas across central and southern England set to be hit by temperatures in the high 30s. Wales is also set to be hit too, with temperatures on Monday predicted to be around 35°C.

Unsurprisingly, then, a lot of the stories in the news at the moment are packed with advice on how to cope with the heat – including how to brace for a heatwave-related phenomenon called ‘tropical nights’. Here’s everything you need to know.  


What are tropical nights? 

A fan in a bedroom in summer

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Defined as 24-hour periods when the temperature remains above 20°C, tropical nights used to be a fairly rare occurrence in the UK, but they’re becoming more frequent.

Over the next couple of days, temperatures of 25°C have been forecasted in the early hours in some places – meaning that the threshold for a tropical night could be met multiple times.

This is more likely to happen in cities thanks to something known as the ‘urban heat island effect’, which happens because surfaces in the urban environment – such as buildings and roads – absorb, retain and re-emit heat, as opposed to it being reflected. 

Why are tropical nights potentially dangerous?  

We all know how frustrating it can be to try and get to sleep when it’s really hot – but experts say this struggle could present a risk to health, especially among vulnerable people.

This is because nighttime temperatures over 20°C mean that the body gets very little respite from heat, making it work harder to stay cool and putting it under increased, prolonged stress.

It’s for this reason why so many of us find heat in the UK tougher than heat abroad – on holiday, our bedrooms are likely to be air-conditioned, giving our bodies time to rest and recover from the heat of the day. 

Of course, on top of this, tropical nights can also mess with our sleeping patterns. Not only can the heat make it harder for us to get comfortable enough to nod off, but our bodies actually need to cool down in order to help us get to sleep in the first place. 

When the room is too hot to allow this to happen, we’re more likely to find ourselves tossing and turning.  

How to cope with tropical nights

A fan in a bedroom in summer

Credit: Getty

Unless you happen to have an air conditioning unit at your disposal, getting to sleep over the next couple of days is probably going to be tougher than usual. But just because the heat will make things harder, doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to ease the pressure.

To find out more, you can check out the articles below:

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