Weatherwatch: why summer nights are getting hotter

Gap between day and night-time temperatures expected to continue to decrease, posing risk to healthDuring the UK heatwave a couple of weeks ago, the headlines focused on the daytime temperature peak, which climbed to an unprecedented 40.3C (104.5F) in Coningsby, Lincolnshire. But for many people it was the stifling night-time heat that brought the most discomfort, with temperatures remaining above 20C in many areas, and a record-breaking night-time low of 25.9C recorded at Emley Moor in West Yorkshire.Over the last century, night-time temperatures have been rising faster than daytime temperatures across most of the world, and a study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, confirms that rising greenhouse gases have been driving this trend. Continue reading...