Is another heatwave on the horizon for Jersey? - Jersey Evening Post
by James Jeune · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
Is another heatwave on the horizon for Jersey?
by James Jeune 30 June 202630 June 2026
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LESS than a week after Jersey documented its hottest day on record, Islanders are facing the possibility of another heatwave with temperatures expected to pick up again next Monday.
And Jersey Water’s head of water resilience and emergency planning, Mark Bowden, has stated that – while reservoir levels were in “a relatively solid position” – supplies could “drop quickly” amid the anticipated hot and dry conditions.
Mark Bowden reminded Islanders to be “mindful” of their water use and “make every effort not to waste it”.
The warning comes just days after temperatures climbed past Jersey’s previous record of 37.9°C – set during July 2022 – with 39.3°C documented on Thursday afternoon.
What does the UK Met Office say?
In an update issued on Monday afternoon, deputy chief forecaster Tony Wisson said: “Toward the weekend, high pressure will continue to build in across most of the UK as it extends from the Azores. This will lead to more settled, warm or very warm conditions for many, especially across England and Wales, though some rain may still affect the far north.”
He added: “The forecast for this weekend suggests that temperatures could approach high 20s°C across parts of England, perhaps 30°C in parts of the south east, with values of mid to high 20s°C in Wales.
“Although a return to heatwave conditions is looking increasingly likely for some areas, the likelihood of such extreme high temperatures or high levels of humidity as last week is currently low.”
The new record came amid the second heatwave the Island has seen so far this year.
Jersey Met senior forecaster Bryan de Gruchy yesterday told the JEP that “another spell of warmer weather” was anticipated this time next week.
He noted it was “a bit early” to give specifics, but acknowledged that another heatwave was “a possibility”.
The UK Met Office recently warned that human-induced climate change had made such weather events “more likely and more intense”, while Nigel Jones – who chairs the environmental group Jersey in Transition – contended that environmentalists were going through “the longest, saddest, ‘I told you’ so in history”.
In a statement, Mr Bowden said that: “Last week Jersey recorded its highest seven‑day demand for water since the 2022 drought. Islanders used more than 159 million litres across the week, which is around 23 million litres a day.
“That level of demand used nearly 5% of our stored water, with reservoir levels now sitting at 89% capacity.”
Mr Bowden described the figure as “a relatively solid position for the time of year and almost exactly in line with the ten‑year average”, but added that “with another heatwave on the horizon, we will see supplies drop quickly over the coming weeks and months, without rain to replenish supplies”.
“We need every Islander to be mindful of how they use water and make every effort not to waste it, because we only have finite supplies,” he continued.
“Our desalination plant is primed and ready to boost stocks if we need to, but if people make conscious efforts to reduce their use it will make a real difference.”
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