Unless your normal abode is beneath a rock, I’m sure you know by now that the Met Office have issued an unprecedented red warning for heat for much of England, extending as far north as Manchester and Leeds. The rest of England, Wales and Southern Scotland has an amber warning.
And in this case, the word ‘unprecedented’ really means what it says. The temperature is predicted to crack the existing 38.7 c (101.7 F) tomorrow, reaching a possible 40 c (104 F) in the London area. It will remain high into Tuesday with temperatures likely to reach 37 c (98.6).
And as a result, a Level 4 UK Health Security Agency Heat Health Alert has also been issued for Monday and Tuesday.
That doesn’t mean today and Sunday will be cool – the sun will be unrelenting here in the south and temperatures will climb steadily through the weekend.
If you do have to travel by motorcycle, don’t forget to cover up – tee-shirt and shorts may give the illusion of a cooling breeze but with temperatures this high plus the strong sun, you’re actually allowing the radiation to heat your body. I’d suggest wherever possible you time your trip to avoid the hottest part of the day – unfortunately on Monday, the extreme heat will linger long into the evening.
Watch out for melting roads – that’s guaranteed to be a problem by Sunday this weekend. Watch out for slippery tar and stone chips on corners and be particularly cautious wherever the road goes north and uphill – think about it.
I’d also suggest checking coolant levels and carefully de-clogging your radiator, something I forgot to mention in my SKILLS on SATURDAY post last Saturday. And don’t forget – whenever you ride in warm weather it’s absolutely vital to keep your own body hydrated.
Unfortunately, as of 8 am Saturday, the DVSA had not cancelled bike tests – all services are ‘currently unaffected’. So if you have a bike test scheduled, check with your instructor precisely what the plans are but make sure you get plenty of fluids down you before your test ride.
If you want to review last Saturday’s tips, the easiest way is to head to my Ko-Fi page. If you find it useful, consider contributing. All the coffees help me keep writing for you.